Medicare Star Ratings

Medicare created its star rating system to provide consumers with an easy, unbiased way to compare plans. When most people shop for a Medicare plan, they look at benefits and cost. But when you’re comparing plans that are similar in cost and coverage, look at the star rating. That tells you how well the plan is performing and how satisfied members are with the plan. A higher star rating means a higher quality plan.

Medicare reviews plan performance yearly and releases new star ratings each fall. This means plan ratings may change from year to year.

If a plan receives a low star rating (less than 3 stars) for three years in a row, they are issued a warning from Medicare.

You can compare plans and their star ratings side by side at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You’ll see a gold star icon next to 5-star plans and a red alert icon next to low-performing plans. New star ratings come out each October and apply for the next calendar year.

If a plan has no rating, that means the plan is new or there might not be enough information for a rating to be done.

Most people can change their coverage during the Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 through December 7.

However, there are exceptions that allow you to enroll outside of this period. For example, you may qualify for a special enrollment period if you are new to Medicare, have Medicaid or move.