How Medicare Star Ratings Can Help You Understand Your Plan During AEP
When Medicare beneficiaries compare plans during the Annual Enrollment Period, it is easy to focus on the numbers that appear first: the monthly premium, deductible, prescription costs, and out-of-pocket expenses.
But there is another number worth paying attention to: the plan's Medicare Star Rating.
Medicare Star Ratings give beneficiaries another way to evaluate Medicare Advantage and Part D plans by looking at measures related to quality and performance. They are not designed to tell you which plan is right for you, but they can provide useful information alongside costs, benefits, prescription coverage, and provider networks.
As the 2026 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period approaches, beneficiaries choosing coverage for 2027 may want to understand what these ratings actually mean and how they fit into the bigger picture.
What Are Medicare Star Ratings?
Medicare Star Ratings are a system used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to measure the quality and performance of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans.
Plans receive a rating from one to five stars, with the ratings based on multiple measures rather than one single factor.
For 2026, CMS says Medicare Advantage prescription drug contracts can be rated on up to 43 unique quality and performance measures, while Medicare Advantage-only contracts can be rated on up to 33 measures and standalone Part D plans on up to 12. The measures cover areas such as outcomes, patient experience, access, and processes.
The purpose is to give people with Medicare information about plan quality that can be considered alongside benefits and costs when comparing coverage.
That makes Star Ratings particularly relevant during AEP.
Your plan may have a certain monthly premium or a particular group of benefits, but its Star Rating gives you another piece of information to consider when researching the plan.
It is important, however, not to treat a Star Rating as a complete evaluation of whether a plan fits your individual healthcare needs.
What Do Medicare Star Ratings Actually Measure?
A Star Rating is based on multiple measures, so it is more than a general customer satisfaction score.
CMS groups Star Ratings measures across areas that include health outcomes, intermediate outcomes, processes, patient experience, and access.
This can include measures related to preventive care, managing chronic conditions, member experiences with their health plan, customer service, and prescription drug services.
The exact measures and methodology can change over time as CMS updates the Star Ratings program.
For 2027, CMS finalized changes to the Star Ratings system, including removing certain measures and adding a Part C depression screening and follow-up measure beginning with the 2027 measurement year and later Star Ratings.
This is important because a plan's Star Rating should not be viewed as a permanent label.
The rating can change from one year to another as plan performance and the CMS measurement system change.
That is one reason it can be useful to check the current rating rather than relying on something you may have seen several years ago.
Why Should You Look at Star Ratings During AEP?
AEP is about more than finding a plan with a low monthly premium.
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage changes generally taking effect January 1, 2027.
During this period, beneficiaries may review their existing coverage and compare available options.
Star Ratings can be one part of that comparison.
For example, imagine that two Medicare Advantage plans appear to have similar premiums and benefits. Looking at their Star Ratings may give you additional information about how the plans have performed across CMS's quality measures.
That does not automatically make one plan a better choice for every person.
Your doctors, medications, pharmacies, costs, coverage rules, and healthcare needs still matter.
Instead, think of the Star Rating as another piece of information that can help you ask better questions.
Belle Vida's The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): What You Need to Know Before October 15 explains why beneficiaries should review providers, prescriptions, costs, benefits, and other plan details before deciding whether to keep or change coverage.
Star Ratings can be added to that review rather than replacing it.
A High Star Rating Doesn't Tell You Everything
It can be tempting to look at a five-star rating and assume the plan will automatically be the right fit.
But a Star Rating measures specific aspects of plan performance. It does not know your personal doctors, medications, budget, preferred pharmacy, or healthcare priorities.
For example, a plan could have a strong overall rating but not include your preferred specialist in its network.
Another plan might offer benefits that are more relevant to your particular needs.
Prescription coverage is another important consideration. If you take several medications, you still need to check the plan's formulary, cost-sharing, pharmacy network, and applicable coverage rules.
The same principle applies to healthcare providers.
If you have an established relationship with a primary care physician, cardiologist, oncologist, or another specialist, verify that the provider participates in the plan you are considering.
Star Ratings provide quality information. They do not replace the need to examine the rest of the plan.
How Should You Use Star Ratings When Comparing Plans?
A practical approach is to treat Star Ratings as one layer of your research.
Start with your current plan.
Look at its upcoming costs, benefits, provider network, prescription coverage, and other changes for 2027. Then compare those details with other plans available in your area.
Next, look at the Star Ratings.
Ask what the rating adds to your understanding of the plan. If two plans have different ratings, look beyond the overall number and consider what the underlying measures are designed to capture.
It can also be useful to compare the rating with your actual experiences.
If you have been enrolled in a plan for several years, think about how easy it has been to access care, communicate with the plan, resolve problems, and obtain the services you need.
Your personal experience is not the same thing as the CMS Star Rating, but it can help put the information into context.
Medicare provides official plan comparison resources where beneficiaries can review plan information, including Star Ratings.
Using Medicare's official tools can also help you avoid relying entirely on advertisements or third-party marketing materials.
What Do Star Ratings Mean for 2027?
The Star Ratings available during the 2026 AEP are relevant because beneficiaries will be selecting coverage for 2027.
CMS continues to update the Star Ratings program as part of its broader oversight of Medicare Advantage and Part D.
For 2027, CMS finalized changes affecting which measures are included and how plans are evaluated.
This means beneficiaries should use the current information available during AEP rather than assuming that a plan's rating from an older year will remain the same.
It also reinforces an important point: Star Ratings are a tool for comparison, not a guarantee about your individual experience.
Healthcare is personal.
The most useful plan information is the information that helps you understand whether the coverage fits your own needs.
Conclusion
Medicare Star Ratings can give beneficiaries another useful way to understand Medicare Advantage and Part D plans during AEP.
The ratings summarize performance across multiple measures involving areas such as outcomes, patient experience, access, and processes. But they are only one part of the Medicare comparison process.
When reviewing coverage for 2027, consider the Star Rating alongside premiums, deductibles, prescription coverage, provider networks, benefits, and your own healthcare needs.
A number can tell you something about a plan. It cannot tell you everything.
When comparing Medicare plans, what matters most to you: cost, doctors, benefits, prescription coverage, or quality information?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Medicare Star Rating?
A Medicare Star Rating is a one-to-five-star rating used by CMS to measure aspects of quality and performance for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.
Is a five-star Medicare plan always the right choice?
Not necessarily. Star Ratings provide information about plan performance, but beneficiaries should also consider providers, prescriptions, costs, benefits, and individual healthcare needs.
Can Medicare Star Ratings change each year?
Yes. Plan performance can change, and CMS can also update the measures and methodology used to calculate Star Ratings.
Where can I find a Medicare plan's Star Rating?
Medicare publishes Star Ratings through its official plan comparison resources, including Medicare Plan Finder.
Should I consider Star Ratings during AEP?
They can be one useful piece of information when comparing plans for the upcoming year, alongside costs, benefits, provider networks, and prescription coverage.
Get Help Understanding Your Medicare Options
Medicare plan information can be difficult to compare, especially when costs, benefits, networks, prescriptions, and quality information all need to be considered together.
If you have questions about your Medicare coverage or want help understanding your options, schedule a consultation with Belle Vida Insurance.
You can also visit Belle Vida Insurance for more Medicare and health insurance resources.