Updated October 2026. Every contract name links to its free CareStars page.
1. What changed
CMS released the 2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings on October 8, 2026. We compared every contract that was rated in both 2026 and 2027: 468 contracts. Calculated
- 164 went down. 199 stayed the same. 105 went up. Calculated
- 62 contracts fell from 4 stars or more to below 4. They have about 4.4 million members. Calculated
- 46 contracts climbed to 4 stars or more. They have about 5.1 million members. Calculated
2. Why the 4-star line matters
Plans at 4 stars or more get a quality bonus: a 5 percentage point increase to their benchmark in most counties. Sourced: CMS rule The 2027 Star Ratings set the bonus for 2028. Sourced: CMS So a half-star drop from 4.0 to 3.5 can cost a plan its bonus for a full year.
3. The largest contracts that fell below 4 stars
Ranked by members. Sourced: CMS ratings Calculated: members
| Contract | Plan | Main state | 2026 | 2027 | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H2802 | UnitedHealthcare | MO | 4.0 | 3.5 | 393,487 |
| H4513 | HealthSpring | TX | 4.0 | 3.5 | 383,881 |
| H3359 | Healthfirst Medicare Plan | NY | 4.5 | 3.5 | 358,371 |
| H1889 | UnitedHealthcare | GA | 4.0 | 3.5 | 259,500 |
| H0543 | UnitedHealthcare | CA | 4.0 | 3.0 | 243,320 |
| H3815 | Alignment Health Plan | CA | 4.0 | 3.5 | 225,263 |
| H3959 | Aetna Medicare | PA | 4.0 | 3.5 | 205,371 |
| H7917 | BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee | TN | 4.0 | 3.5 | 188,679 |
| H1961 | Peoples Health | LA | 4.0 | 3.5 | 156,877 |
| H3655 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | OH | 4.0 | 3.5 | 143,066 |
4. The biggest drops
27 contracts fell a full star or more. Calculated Two of them fell from 5 stars to 3.5:
| Contract | Plan | Main state | 2026 | 2027 | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H3256 | UnitedHealthcare | GA | 5.0 | 3.5 | 55,449 |
| H8093 | Georgia Health Advantage | GA | 5.0 | 3.5 | 1,861 |
| H3359 | Healthfirst Medicare Plan | NY | 4.5 | 3.5 | 358,371 |
| H0543 | UnitedHealthcare | CA | 4.0 | 3.0 | 243,320 |
5. Who climbed above the line
The largest contracts that reached 4 stars or more this year:
| Contract | Plan | Main state | 2026 | 2027 | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H5216 | Humana | FL | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2,269,455 |
| H5619 | Humana | CA | 3.0 | 4.0 | 476,553 |
| H6622 | Humana | OH | 3.5 | 4.0 | 328,061 |
| H0028 | Humana | TX | 3.5 | 4.5 | 321,566 |
| H8768 | UnitedHealthcare | NJ | 3.5 | 4.0 | 283,588 |
What plans can do before December 31
The 2028 Star Ratings are built mostly on care given in 2026. Measurement year 2026 closes on December 31, 2026. Sourced: CMS Care gaps closed before then still count.
Look up any contract free: CareStars shows each contract's rating, the bonus at stake, the measures closest to the next star, and local rivals. You can also browse all contracts or ratings by state.
Want to move a measure before December 31? Marples ranks the members whose open gaps would move a measure across the next cut point and reaches them by secure text.
Sources and method
Star Ratings: CMS 2027 and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (CMS Part C and D performance data). Members: CMS monthly Medicare Advantage enrollment by state, county and contract, 2026-10 (CMS enrollment files). CMS hides county counts under 11, so member totals are slightly low. Contracts without an overall rating in both years are left out. Counts and member totals calculated by Carelytics. Email contact@carelyticsllc.com for the data file.
