The short answer
CMS released draft 2027 star-rating cutpoints to Medicare Advantage insurers during its plan preview. One consulting analysis found about 50 percent of thresholds got harder, 33 percent held flat and 17 percent eased, with most tightening on HEDIS clinical measures. Official 2027 ratings post in early October, days before the Annual Enrollment Period opens October 15, so confirm a plan's final rating before you enroll.
- Cutpoint movement: About 50 percent of draft 2027 cutpoints got harder, 33 percent were unchanged and 17 percent got easier, per Newton Smith Group analysis reported by Healthcare Dive
- Biggest shifts: Kidney Health Evaluation for Patients with Diabetes rose 7 to 10 points; Colorectal Cancer Screening tightened 4 to 11 points
- Timing: Official 2027 star ratings post in early October, before AEP runs October 15 to December 7
- Money behind the stars: Contracts at 4 stars or higher qualify for quality bonus payments; KFF estimated at least $13.4 billion in 2026 bonus spending
Applies to anyone comparing Medicare Advantage plans for the 2027 plan year, and to adult children helping a parent compare; star ratings are assigned at the contract level, so one rating can cover several plans sold under different names.
CMS sends Medicare Advantage insurers a preview of the next year’s star-rating math before it publishes results. The agency sent plans draft cutpoints for the 2027 star ratings earlier this month as part of what it calls its second plan preview, ahead of official results due in early October, and cutpoints are the thresholds CMS uses to convert a plan’s raw performance scores into a rating of one to five stars.
The preview matters to you for one reason. The rating you see on Medicare Plan Finder this fall is tied to the bonus dollars that help fund a plan’s extra benefits the following year.
What did CMS actually send insurers this month?
Draft thresholds, not final ratings. About 50 percent of cutpoints got harder, 33 percent were unchanged and 17 percent got easier, according to analysis by the Newton Smith Group, a Medicare Advantage consultancy.
Tighter cutpoints are not a crackdown. CMS recalculates cut points each year based on performance during the measurement period, so when the whole industry improves on a measure, the bar for each star level moves up with it. Newton Smith Group founder Melissa Newton Smith said many HEDIS thresholds are climbing because plans have gotten better at collecting the underlying data.
The cutpoints are not necessarily final, since plans can still flag potential errors to CMS, though the thresholds generally do not change between the preview and the final publication, according to Medicare Advantage experts. Treat every number below as direction, not a settled outcome.
Which quality measures got harder for 2027?
Most of the movement sits in HEDIS, the clinical quality data set behind screening rates and chronic condition management. Two measures moved far enough to shift a contract on their own.
| Measure or group | Draft 2027 cutpoint movement |
|---|---|
| Kidney Health Evaluation for Patients with Diabetes | Rose 7 to 10 points, depending on the star threshold |
| Colorectal Cancer Screening | Tightened 4 to 11 points |
| CAHPS patient experience measures | Mostly held flat |
| All cutpoints combined | About 50 percent harder, 33 percent unchanged, 17 percent easier |
Kidney Health Evaluation for Patients with Diabetes rose by 7 to 10 points depending on the stars threshold for 2027, while Colorectal Cancer Screening tightened by 4 to 11 points. Cutpoints tied to the CAHPS patient-experience surveys mostly held flat for 2027, which Newton Smith called surprising.
Three measures came off the scorecard entirely. CMS removed measures for 2027 dealing with pain assessment in older adults, medication reconciliation after a hospital discharge and medication therapy management reviews, as expected from prior rulemaking.
Why does a star rating change what a plan can offer you?
Four stars is the money line. The quality bonus program, established by the Affordable Care Act in 2010, offers extra payments to Medicare Advantage plans with ratings of four stars or above, along with advantages in the annual bidding process. Plans use those dollars, plus rebates, to fund supplemental benefits and lower cost sharing.
The scale is large and the qualifying share is shrinking. KFF estimated federal spending tied to the quality bonus program would reach at least $13.4 billion in 2026, up from $12.7 billion in 2025, while 68 percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees were in plans qualifying for the bonus, down from 75 percent in 2025 and the lowest share since 2018.
That squeeze is part of why some plans disappear. If you already got a non-renewal letter, our post on carriers dropping Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 walks through your options and the deadlines attached to them.
When do the official 2027 ratings post?
CMS announces official star ratings in early October, days before Medicare’s annual enrollment period opens on October 15. That leaves a short gap between the published rating and the day you can act on it.
For context on last year’s baseline, CMS reported that approximately 40 percent of MA-PD contracts offered in 2026, or 207 contracts, earned four stars or higher, and roughly 64 percent of MA-PD enrollees were in contracts with four or more stars in 2026. MA-PD contracts are rated on up to 43 unique quality and performance measures, MA-only contracts on up to 33, and stand-alone drug plan contracts on up to 12.
The enrollment window itself does not move. AEP for 2027 coverage runs October 15 to December 7, and changes you make take effect January 1.
What should you check before enrolling for 2027?
A star rating is one input, not a verdict. Start with the letter your plan already mailed, because a rating shift never overrides what the contract says for next year. Our guide to reading your 2027 Annual Notice of Change in ten minutes shows the four lines that actually change your costs.
Then check the rating for the specific contract, not the brand. CMS rates contracts, so several plans with different premiums and networks can share one number. We work by phone and video across our licensed states, including Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin, and county-level availability varies inside every one of them. Readers shopping in Cook, DuPage or Lake County can also see our county notes on Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois for 2027.
Your fall 2027 checklist
- Wait for the official ratings in early October rather than acting on preview figures reported in trade press.
- Look up your current plan and any alternative on Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, and note the contract number.
- Compare the 2027 maximum out-of-pocket, primary care and specialist copays, and drug tiers, not the rating alone.
- Confirm every doctor, hospital and pharmacy you use is in the 2027 network for the exact plan, not the carrier.
- Make any change between October 15 and December 7 so coverage starts January 1.
What if the rating drops after you have already enrolled?
You still have two windows. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 to March 31 and allows one change if you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan. Separately, medicare.gov says people living in the service area of a plan with an overall quality rating of 5 stars may join that plan one time between December 8 of the year before the plan year and November 30 of the plan year.
One trap is worth knowing. If you move from a Medicare Advantage plan that has drug coverage to a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan that does not, you may lose your prescription drug coverage, and you may have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty. That penalty is 1 percent of the national base beneficiary premium for each uncovered month.
If the ratings news has you reconsidering the structure of your coverage rather than the specific plan, read our Medicare Advantage versus Medigap comparison for 2027 first, and keep in mind that Medigap guaranteed-issue rights and medical underwriting rules vary by state. You can also start from our Medicare hub for the full set of 2027 deadlines.
Questions people ask
Does a star rating apply to one plan or to several?
CMS rates contracts, not individual plan brochures. A single contract can include several Medicare Advantage plans with different premiums, networks and benefits, and they all carry the same overall star rating. Ask which contract number a plan sits under if you want to compare ratings accurately.
Can my plan's rating change in the middle of 2027?
No. The rating published in October is the rating that appears on Medicare Plan Finder for the 2027 plan year. The next set of ratings arrives in fall 2027 for the 2028 plan year, and those affect later quality bonus payments.
Where do I see the official rating instead of a draft figure?
Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov shows the overall star rating next to each plan once CMS posts it, and you can also call 1-800-MEDICARE. Draft cutpoints reported in trade press are not consumer-facing and are not final.
If my plan's rating falls, will my 2027 benefits be cut?
Not during 2027. Your benefits for the year are the ones printed in your Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage. Ratings influence bonus dollars in later years, which is why a rating drop tends to show up in the following year's benefit design.
What is the 5-star special enrollment period?
Medicare.gov says you may use it once between December 8 and November 30 to join a Medicare Advantage, Cost or Medicare drug plan rated 5 stars overall in your service area. Moving from an MA plan with drug coverage to one without it can trigger a Part D late enrollment penalty.
Why did CMS drop three measures for 2027?
Reporting on the draft technical notes indicates CMS removed pain assessment in older adults, medication reconciliation after hospital discharge and medication therapy management reviews, as expected from earlier rulemaking. MA-PD contracts are still scored on dozens of measures.
Sources
- Contract Year 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule (CMS), April 2026
- 2027 Advance Notice, Attachment IV Star Ratings updates (CMS), 2026
- 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings Fact Sheet (CMS), November 18, 2025
- Special Enrollment Periods (Medicare.gov), 2026
- Medicare Will Spend More Than $13 Billion on the MA Quality Bonus Program in 2026 (KFF), July 2026
- Half of Medicare Advantage stars thresholds harder to reach in 2027 (Healthcare Dive, reporting Newton Smith Group plan-preview analysis), September 2026
Check the 2027 star rating before you sign anything
Official 2027 star ratings post in early October, days before enrollment opens. We are an independent agency licensed in 40-plus states, not California, and we work by phone and video. Bring your plan name, your drug list and your doctors, and we will pull the posted rating, the 2027 costs and the network together on one screen.
Request a plan reviewCall or text (773) 657-9140Smart Insurance Agents LLC is an independent, licensed insurance agency and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program for information on all of your options. Content is for general information and is not a guarantee of coverage or rates; figures are subject to change by CMS and carriers.