CMS published the 2027 Star Ratings on October 8, 2026. They compress the top of the scale while the middle holds: fewer contracts at 5 stars, more members at the 4-star bonus line.
- 5-star MA-PD contracts
- 22→15
- Weighted average rating
- 4.01→3.99
- Enrollees in 4+ star contracts
- 67%→71%
- Counties with an open 5-star plan
- 233→351
Only 6 also held the icon last year
MA-PD, by enrollment
MA-PD, by enrollment
Non-SNP plans, 2027 landscape
The national picture
The enrollment-weighted MA-PD average moved from 4.01 to 3.99, and the share of MA-PD enrollees in 4+ star contracts rose from 67% to 71%. The count of 5-star contracts swings far more than the average: 38, 9, 22 and 15 over four years.
More members sit at the 4-star line, fewer far above it
Enrollment moved out of 4.5 stars (39% → 33%) and into 4 stars (26% → 36%). The weighted average barely moved.
What CMS changed for 2027
CMS changed the measure set and raised most clinical cut points. Both changes hit contracts near 5 stars hardest.
- Retired: Care for Older Adults – Pain Assessment; Medication Reconciliation Post-Discharge. Both were measures where high scores were common.
- Moved to display: MTM Program Completion Rate for CMR, back in the 2029 ratings.
- Added, weight 1: Concurrent Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines; Polypharmacy (Poly-ACH); Functional Status Assessment (returned); a respecified Colorectal Cancer Screening.
- Weight 1 → 3: Improving or Maintaining Physical Health and Mental Health. These survey outcomes average about 3 stars across the market, so tripling their weight pulls down contracts near the top.
CMS sets cut points from each year's results, so when the market improves the bar rises: Kidney Health Evaluation went from 74% to 83% for 5 stars, Follow-up after an ED visit from 78% to 83%, and Controlling Blood Pressure from 86% to 90%.
Parent companies
Humana climbed to 4.18 stars; UnitedHealth, CVS/Aetna, HCSC and Alignment fell
Average overall rating, 2026 (hollow) to 2027 (solid), and the share of each parent's rated lives in 4+ star contracts. Both years use September 2026 enrollment, so the moves are ratings, not membership.
Humana moved most of its members into 4+ star contracts. UnitedHealth, CVS/Aetna, HCSC and Alignment lost ground. The 2027 ratings set 2028 quality bonus payments, so these moves reach plan budgets a year from now.
The 5-star SEP
Fifteen contracts hold 5 stars for 2027, all MA-PD; no stand-alone drug plan or cost plan made it. Members can switch into one of their plans once, from December 8, 2026 through November 30, 2027. Until December 7, the 2026 list applies.
More counties, fewer people: the 5-star map left big Sun Belt metros for Georgia, South Carolina and West Virginia
Counties grew from 233 to 351, mostly Clover's Georgia and South Carolina footprint. The 130 counties that lose a 5-star plan include Devoted's Florida, Texas and North Carolina metros, so fewer members live where one is open.
Only eight of the fifteen sell plans a general audience can join. The rest are nursing-home plans (I-SNP) open only to people who meet the institutional rule.
| Contract | Carrier | States | Open to all ($0) | Counties | Sep 2026 lives | 2026 rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H5577 | MCS Classicare | PR | 12 (12) | 78 | 358K | kept 5★ |
| H5141 | Clover Health | GA, NJ, PA, SC, TX | 14 (11) | 203 | 153K | 4.5 → 5.0 |
| H5774 | Triple S Advantage | PR | 5 (5) | 78 | 118K | 4.5 → 5.0 |
| H4286 | Leon Health, Inc. | FL | 2 (2) | 1 | 40K | kept 5★ |
| H2960 | Kaiser Permanente | NV | 3 (3) | 3 | 22K | kept 5★ |
| H8947 | Peak Health | PA, WV | 8 (4) | 56 | 13K | 4.5 → 5.0 |
| H6988 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP | NY | 5 (1) | 10 | 9,124 | kept 5★ |
| H5652 | UnitedHealthcare | PA | 1 (0) | 1 | 6,859 | kept 5★ |
| H0710 | UnitedHealthcare | 28 states | I-SNP only | 392 | 45K | 4.5 → 5.0 |
| H2292 | UnitedHealthcare | NY | I-SNP only | 38 | 8,822 | 4.5 → 5.0 |
| H7557 | Longevity Health Plan | MI | I-SNP only | 26 | 1,310 | new |
| H9942 | Longevity Health Plan | NJ | I-SNP only | 18 | 1,086 | kept 5★ |
| H9590 | Longevity Health | IL | I-SNP only | 5 | 966 | kept 5★ |
| H5374 | Longevity Health Plan | NC | I-SNP only | 46 | 876 | kept 5★ |
| H1644 | Longevity Health Plan | FL | I-SNP only | 28 | 798 | new |
Clover, Peak Health, Triple-S and two UnitedHealthcare I-SNP contracts rose from 4.5 stars. Clover is the only multi-state 5-star option open to everyone, with eleven $0 plans across 203 counties in Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.
Who lost five stars, and why
Fifteen MA contracts lost the rating, plus both 5-star stand-alone drug plans. Eleven of the fifteen landed at 4.5 or 4.
| Contract | Carrier | Overall | Part C | Part D | Sep 2026 lives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H4004 | Medicare y Mucho Mas (MMM) | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 100K |
| H4003 | Medicare y Mucho Mas (MMM) | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 94K |
| H3256 | UnitedHealthcare | 5.0 → 3.5 −1.5 | 4.5 → 3.5 −1.0 | 4.5 → 3.5 −1.0 | 56K |
| H7993 | Devoted Health | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 4.0 → 3.0 −1.0 | 54K |
| H1290 | Devoted Health | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 4.0 → 3.5 −0.5 | 53K |
| H3362 | Independent Health | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 41K |
| H5296 | Alignment Health Plan | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 4.5 → 3.5 −1.0 | 4.5 → 3.5 −1.0 | 33K |
| H5299 | Devoted Health | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 4.0 −1.0 | 4.5 → 3.0 −1.5 | 16K |
| H1651 | Medical Associates Health Plan, Inc. | n/r → n/r — | 5.0 → 4.0 −1.0 | n/r → n/r — | 15K |
| H9686 | Alignment Health Plan | 5.0 → 4.0 −1.0 | 4.5 → 4.0 −0.5 | 5.0 → 3.5 −1.5 | 6,647 |
| H5015 | Texas Independence Health Plan | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 4.5 → 4.5 ±0 | 5.0 → 4.0 −1.0 | 2,819 |
| H4054 | Provider Partners Health Plans | 5.0 → 4.0 −1.0 | 4.5 → 4.0 −0.5 | 4.0 → 3.5 −0.5 | 2,437 |
| H8093 | Georgia Health Advantage | 5.0 → 3.5 −1.5 | 4.5 → 3.0 −1.5 | 5.0 → 4.0 −1.0 | 1,766 |
| H4172 | NHC Advantage | 5.0 → 4.5 −0.5 | 5.0 → 5.0 ±0 | 4.5 → 3.5 −1.0 | 1,284 |
| H4093 | Provider Partners Health Plans | 5.0 → 3.5 −1.5 | n/r → 5.0 — | 4.5 → 2.5 −2.0 | 840 |
The two improvement measures fell for most of them
How many of the 15 lost at least one star on each measure, and how many measure stars they lost in total. Improvement measures score year-over-year gains, so a contract already at the top loses stars by holding steady.
The Part D summary fell for 13 of the 15, often by a full star. Medication adherence, which counts triple, fell for six to eight of them while the 5-star bar for diabetes adherence rose from 92% to 93%.
Across the market
Five stars got scarcer on drug pricing and clinical care, easier on service and appeals
Change in the share of rated MA contracts earning 5 stars on each measure, 2026 to 2027, in percentage points. Where CMS raised the 5-star bar, the bar move is shown.
States
Georgia and Tennessee lost 30 points of 4-star coverage; Illinois gained 32
The 20 largest states by MA lives, 2026 (hollow) to 2027 (solid).
Outside the 20 largest states, Louisiana fell from 86% to 55% and West Virginia rose from 32% to 75%. Puerto Rico remains the best-rated market: every rated member is in a 4+ star contract and the average is 4.85.
Low performers and stand-alone drug plans
Four MA-PD contracts carry the low-performing icon for 2027, the same count as last year. CMS gives it to contracts rated below 3 stars on Part C or Part D for three years running, and their members may switch out.
| Contract | Carrier | Parent | Reason | Part C / Part D, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H3814 | ATRIO Health Plans | ATRIO Health Plans | Part C | 2.5 / 3.0 |
| H4982 | Aetna Medicare | CVS Health Corporation | Part C or D | 2.5 / 2.5 |
| H7389 | HealthSpring | Health Care Service Corporation | Part C | 2.5 / 2.5 |
| H9066 | Nascentia Health Plus | VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL NEW YORK | Part D | n/r / 2.0 |
Stand-alone drug plans improved from a low base. Their enrollment-weighted Part D rating rose from 3.01 to 3.22, and the share of PDP enrollees in 4+ star contracts rose from 2% to 22%.
What it means for call marketers
- Check 5-star SEP messaging before December 8. Florida, North Carolina and Texas lose Devoted's 5-star plans, and Alignment's Nevada contract falls from 5 stars to 4.
- Target Clover's footprint and Puerto Rico for year-round 5-star switches. Those are the 2027 5-star plans a general audience can join.
- Sell 4.5 stars as the quality tier. Eleven of the fifteen contracts that lost 5 stars landed at 4.5 or 4, and both still qualify for the 4-star quality bonus.
- Expect 2028 benefits to follow the bonus line. Carriers that crossed 4 stars gain quality bonus money for 2028; those that fell below it lose it.
Every rated contract has its own page with its 2027 and 2026 ratings, domain and measure stars, and 2027 footprint: browse all contracts.
Sources: CMS Part C and D performance data; CMS fact sheet, 2027 MA and Part D Star Ratings; CMS 2026 data tables as recalculated July 22, 2026; CMS monthly enrollment, September 2026; CMS CY2026 and CY2027 landscape files.