CMS published the 2027 ratings on October 8
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings on October 8, 2026. Ratings are now displayed in Medicare's plan information for the upcoming year. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, and changes made during that period generally take effect January 1, 2027.
These are final published quality ratings, not a proposal. They assess performance using a one-to-five-star scale. The ratings are one source of information to consider when deciding whether to keep or change coverage.
What the national results actually say
According to CMS, about 37% of Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) contracts offered in 2027 earned at least four stars. Looking at current enrollment rather than the number of contracts, approximately 71% of MA-PD enrollees are in contracts rated four stars or higher for 2027.
For stand-alone Part D drug plans, approximately 27% of contracts received at least four stars. About 22% of current Part D enrollees are in contracts that earned four stars or more for 2027, compared with about 2% in the 2026 ratings.
What goes into a Star Rating?
CMS uses measures of health-plan and drug-plan quality and performance. Depending on the type of plan, the measures can address preventive care, chronic-condition management, member experience, complaints, access to medications and customer service. The 2027 ratings also add measures concerning potentially risky combinations of opioids and benzodiazepines and the use of multiple anticholinergic medications in older adults.
Ratings reflect performance during earlier measurement periods; they are not a guarantee of future service or a promise that a particular drug or doctor will be covered. A rating can change from one year to the next as performance and CMS measurement thresholds change.
How to use the ratings during your 2027 review
Start by checking whether your current plan's 2027 rating changed. Then use the score as a quality checkpoint—not the deciding factor. A practical review should also answer these questions:
- Prescriptions: Are your medications on the 2027 formulary, and what will you pay at your preferred pharmacy?
- Doctors and hospitals: Are your essential providers participating in the plan's 2027 network?
- Total costs: What are the premiums, deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and medical out-of-pocket limits?
- Care and services: Are referrals, prior authorizations, supplemental benefits and other coverage details suitable for your needs?
- Quality: How does the plan's Star Rating compare with other available choices, and has it improved or declined?
Some plans may not have an overall rating, especially when there is not enough performance history. A missing rating should prompt a closer look at available information, not an automatic assumption that the plan is poor.
One more reason to schedule a review early
The new ratings arrive less than a week before Open Enrollment begins. Reviewing your Annual Notice of Change, prescriptions, provider network and the 2027 Star Ratings together can help you make a more informed decision without rushing near the December 7 deadline.