The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) prioritizes ensuring Medicare serves seniors and individuals with disabilities effectively. A key part of this commitment is providing Medicare beneficiaries with access to dependable, high-quality, and affordable coverage options. To this end, CMS consistently strives to enhance the quality of Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs. The 2025 Star Ratings are a testament to these ongoing efforts, reflecting CMS’s dedication to promoting continuous quality improvement within Medicare plans. These ratings are designed to empower beneficiaries to receive superior care and incentivize plans to pursue ever-higher standards of quality.
Each year, CMS releases the Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) and Medicare Part D Star Ratings. These ratings are crucial benchmarks for evaluating the quality of healthcare and prescription drug services experienced by individuals enrolled in MA and Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs). The Star Ratings system is a valuable tool for those looking to Compare Advantage Medicare Plans, offering a clear and standardized way to assess plan quality. By using this system, people with Medicare can confidently compare advantage medicare plans based on quality, enabling them to make informed decisions about their healthcare. Providing meaningful quality information, alongside details about benefits and costs, is central to helping Medicare recipients and their caregivers choose the Medicare coverage that best aligns with their unique health needs.
The newly released 2025 Star Ratings are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder for the 2025 open enrollment period. These ratings will also play a significant role in determining the quality bonus payments for MA plans in 2026.
Key Highlights of 2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Plan Performance
Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) contracts are evaluated using up to 40 distinct quality and performance measures. MA-only contracts, which do not include Part D coverage, are assessed on up to 30 measures, while PDP contracts are rated on up to 12 measures. For each of these measures, CMS establishes specific performance thresholds, known as “cut points.” These cut points determine the star rating a contract receives for each measure, ranging from 1 star to 5 stars. This detailed evaluation framework allows consumers to compare advantage medicare plans across a wide spectrum of quality indicators.
Minor Adjustments in Methodology for 2025 Star Ratings
For the 2025 Star Ratings, the methodology remained largely consistent with previous years, ensuring stability and comparability for those looking to compare advantage medicare plans year-over-year. One notable minor methodological change for 2025 was an increase in the weighting of the Part C Plan All-Cause Readmissions measure, from a weight of one to three. This change underscores the importance CMS places on reducing hospital readmissions and improving care transitions for Medicare beneficiaries. [1]
Additionally, the Part D Medicare Plan Finder measure, having matured beyond its initial “new measure” status, is now subject to bi-directional guardrails. These guardrails are applied, when necessary, starting with the 2025 Star Ratings, following mean resampling if cut points fluctuate by more than 5%. However, for the 2025 Star Ratings cycle, guardrails were not activated for this measure as cut point shifts remained within the 5% threshold.
It is important to note that methodological changes implemented through prior rulemaking for the 2024 Star Ratings continue to influence the 2025 ratings. Specifically, the addition of Tukey outlier deletion to the hierarchical clustering methodology, introduced in the Medicare Program, Contract Year 2021 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, and Medicare Cost Plan Program Final Rule (85 FR 33796),[2] remains in effect. This refinement enhances the precision and reliability of measure-level cut points for non-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) measures. By removing Tukey outliers, the cut points become more accurate, less skewed by extreme low-performance outliers, and provide a more robust basis for evaluating and compare advantage medicare plans. While Tukey outlier deletion generally leads to an upward shift in cut points, guardrails can, in some instances, moderate the full impact of this adjustment on year-over-year cut point movements.
Understanding the 2025 Star Rating Distribution
Analyzing the distribution of Star Ratings provides valuable insights when you compare advantage medicare plans. Table 1 presents the trends in overall Star Ratings for MA-PD contracts from 2022 to 2025, adjusted for extreme and uncontrollable circumstances.[3], [4]
- Approximately 40% of MA-PD contracts (209 contracts) offered in 2025 achieved a rating of four stars or higher for their overall performance.
- When weighted by enrollment, about 62% of MA-PD enrollees are in contracts that will receive four or more stars in 2025.
Year-to-year variations in Star Ratings are a normal part of the system and reflect the dynamic nature of plan performance and the evolving benchmarks for quality. The Star Ratings are designed to capture a contract’s performance within a specific measurement period, and fluctuations are expected as contracts adapt and improve. Cut points are recalculated annually based on current performance data. For the 2025 Star Ratings, many measure-level cut points increased, indicating that plans needed to achieve higher performance levels to attain high ratings. This increase is a result of both improvements in contract performance and ongoing CMS policies aimed at driving continuous quality enhancement across the Medicare program. Several factors contributed to these shifts in measure-level cut points for the 2025 Star Ratings:
- Impact of Outlier Removal: The Tukey outlier deletion methodology, as described earlier, led to the removal of extreme outliers, primarily from the lower end of the performance spectrum. This resulted in an upward adjustment of cut points for affected measures, leading to more accurate performance measurement.
- Return to Pre-Pandemic Performance Levels: For certain measures, performance is trending back towards pre-pandemic levels. This normalization has contributed to increases in cut points as overall performance improves across the industry.
- Compressed Score Distribution: A more compressed distribution of performance scores across contracts generally resulted in higher cut points. This occurs when the range of performance narrows, and a higher level of achievement is needed to stand out.
- High-Performing Contracts Raising the Bar: The increasing number of contracts achieving very high scores on certain measures, such as Breast Cancer Screening (Part C), has pushed the cut points for these measures upward. As more plans excel, the benchmark for high ratings rises.
- Improved Performance at the Lower End: Improvements in scores among contracts at the lower end of the distribution for measures like Colorectal Cancer Screening (Part C) have also contributed to higher cut points. As the baseline performance improves, so do the expectations for higher ratings.
Table 1: 2022-2025 Overall Star Rating Distribution for MA-PD Contracts
| Overall Rating | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of Contracts | % | Weighted by Enrollment | # of Contracts | |
| 5 stars | 74 | 15.71 | 26.59 | 57 |
| 4.5 stars | 96 | 20.38 | 33.21 | 67 |
| 4 stars | 152 | 32.27 | 29.87 | 136 |
| 3.5 stars | 122 | 25.90 | 8.49 | 116 |
| 3 stars | 25 | 5.31 | 1.80 | 90 |
| 2.5 stars | 2 | 0.42 | 0.03 | 37 |
| 2 stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total Rated Contracts | 471 | 100 | 507 | |
| Average Star Rating* | 4.37 | 4.14 | 4.07 | 3.92 |
*Average overall MA-PD Star Rating weighted by enrollment. Overall rating is a weighted average of Part C and D measure stars.
This table visually illustrates the distribution of overall star ratings for Medicare Advantage plans over the past four years. When you compare advantage medicare plans, consider these trends to understand how plans are performing relative to their peers.
[Image of Table 1: 2022-2025 Overall Star Rating Distribution for MA-PD Contracts, as presented in the original article. Alt text: Trend of Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) contract star ratings from 2022 to 2025, showing a shift towards 3.5 and 3 star ratings and a decrease in 5 star ratings, indicating evolving performance benchmarks.]
Table 2 details the average Part D ratings weighted by enrollment for stand-alone PDPs from 2022 to 2025, also adjusted for extreme and uncontrollable circumstances. [4]
- Approximately 27% of PDPs (11 contracts) active in 2025 received four or more stars for their 2025 Part D Rating.
- When weighted by enrollment, about 5% of PDP enrollees are in contracts that will have four or more stars in 2025.
Table 2: 2022-2025 Part D Rating Distribution for PDPs
| Part D Rating | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of Contracts | % | Weighted by Enrollment | # of Contracts | |
| 5 stars | 10 | 18.52 | 0.93 | 2 |
| 4.5 stars | 5 | 9.26 | 4.74 | 7 |
| 4 stars | 14 | 25.93 | 36.21 | 7 |
| 3.5 stars | 20 | 37.04 | 52.84 | 11 |
| 3 stars | 3 | 5.56 | 3.84 | 16 |
| 2.5 stars | 2 | 3.70 | 1.44 | 4 |
| 2 stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1.5 stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total Rated Contracts | 54 | 100 | 52 | |
| Average Star Rating* | 3.70 | 3.25 | 3.34 | 3.06 |
*Average Star Rating weighted by enrollment.
This table offers a year-over-year view of Part D plan ratings. When you compare advantage medicare plans for prescription drug coverage, these trends can help you identify consistently high-performing options.
[Image of Table 2: 2022-2025 Part D Rating Distribution for PDPs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: Distribution of Medicare Part D Plan (PDP) star ratings from 2022 to 2025, showing a decrease in average star rating and a concentration in the 3 to 3.5 star range, reflecting performance trends in prescription drug plans.]
Recognizing 5-Star Medicare Plans
A select group of Medicare plans have achieved the highest distinction of 5-star ratings, highlighted on the Medicare Plan Finder with a high-performing icon.[5] For 2025, 11 contracts earned this recognition: seven MA-PD contracts (listed in Table A1 of the Appendix), two section 1876 Cost Contracts (Table A2 in Appendix), and two PDPs (Table A3 in Appendix). Notably, 10 of these high-performing contracts also received the 5-star icon in 2024, demonstrating consistent excellence. Six of the seven 5-star MA-PD contracts include plan benefit packages specifically designed as Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNP), catering to beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. When you compare advantage medicare plans, 5-star plans represent the pinnacle of quality and service.
Identifying Consistently Low-Performing Plans
Conversely, it’s also important to be aware of plans that have consistently struggled to meet quality benchmarks. For 2025, eight contracts are identified on the Medicare Plan Finder with a low-performing icon,[6] indicating consistently low quality ratings (Table A4 in Appendix). This is a slight increase from the six contracts identified with this icon last year. Seven of these are MA-PD contracts and one is a PDP. Two of the low-performing MA-PD contracts offer D-SNP plan benefit packages. This information is crucial for beneficiaries to make informed choices and potentially compare advantage medicare plans that have a stronger track record of quality.
The Impact of Tax Status on Plan Performance
An interesting trend emerges when analyzing plan performance based on tax status. Non-profit organizations more frequently achieve higher Star Ratings compared to for-profit organizations. For MA-PDs, approximately 50% of non-profit contracts earned four or more stars, compared to 36% of for-profit MA-PDs. A similar pattern is observed for PDPs, with about 41% of non-profit PDPs achieving four or more stars, versus 17% of for-profit PDPs. When you compare advantage medicare plans, considering the tax status of the parent organization may offer an additional layer of insight into potential plan quality.
Tables 3 and 4 provide a detailed breakdown of the ratings distribution by tax status for MA-PD and PDP contracts after adjustments for extreme and uncontrollable circumstances. [4]
Table 3: Distribution of 2025 Overall Star Ratings for For-profit and Non-profit MA-PDs
| 2025 Overall Rating | Number of Contracts that are For-Profit | % For-Profit | Weighted By Enrollment For-Profit | Number of Contracts that are Non-Profit | % Non-Profit | Weighted By Enrollment Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 6 | 1.66 | 2.09 | 1 | 0.63 | 0.75 |
| 4.5 stars | 48 | 13.30 | 21.04 | 38 | 23.75 | 55.87 |
| 4 stars | 75 | 20.78 | 33.31 | 41 | 25.63 | 25.12 |
| 3.5 stars | 118 | 32.69 | 32.06 | 47 | 29.38 | 12.71 |
| 3 stars | 95 | 26.32 | 10.43 | 28 | 17.50 | 4.80 |
| 2.5 stars | 18 | 4.99 | 1.07 | 5 | 3.13 | 0.74 |
| 2 stars | 1 | 0.28 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total Rated Contracts | 361 | 160 |
[Image of Table 3: Distribution of 2025 Overall Star Ratings for For-profit and Non-profit MA-PDs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: Comparison of 2025 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) star ratings for for-profit versus non-profit contracts, highlighting the higher concentration of 4.5 star and 4 star ratings among non-profit plans, suggesting a trend of better performance in this category.]
Table 4: Distribution of 2025 Part D Ratings for For-profit and Non-profit PDPs*
| 2025 Part D Rating | Number of Contracts that are For-Profit | % For-Profit | Weighted By Enrollment For-Profit | Number of Contracts that are Non-Profit | % Non-Profit | Weighted By Enrollment Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 1 | 4.35 | 0.01 | 1 | 5.88 | 1.27 |
| 4.5 stars | 2 | 8.70 | 0.46 | 4 | 23.53 | 19.02 |
| 4 stars | 1 | 4.35 | 3.48 | 2 | 11.76 | 9.09 |
| 3.5 stars | 6 | 26.09 | 48.51 | 4 | 23.53 | 21.96 |
| 3 stars | 5 | 21.74 | 8.45 | 5 | 29.41 | 47.94 |
| 2.5 stars | 6 | 26.09 | 30.03 | 1 | 5.88 | 0.73 |
| 2 stars | 2 | 8.70 | 9.06 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total Rated Contracts | 23 | 17 |
*One PDP is missing information about tax status.
[Image of Table 4: Distribution of 2025 Part D Ratings for For-profit and Non-profit PDPs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: 2025 Medicare Part D Plan (PDP) star rating distribution comparison between for-profit and non-profit contracts, showing a higher percentage of non-profit plans in the 4.5 and 4 star categories, indicating potentially better quality in non-profit PDPs.]
Experience Matters: Program Tenure and Plan Performance
Another factor that correlates with Star Ratings is the length of time a contract has been in the Medicare program. Generally, MA-PD contracts with longer tenure tend to achieve higher overall Star Ratings. MA-PDs with 10 or more years in the program are more likely to have four or more stars compared to newer contracts (less than five years). For PDPs, the relationship is less pronounced due to the limited number of PDPs with less than 10 years of experience. However, the data still suggests a trend of more experienced PDPs achieving higher ratings. When you compare advantage medicare plans, consider the experience and track record of the plan provider.
Tables 5 and 6 present the distribution of ratings by program tenure for MA-PDs and PDPs, respectively, after adjustments for extreme and uncontrollable circumstances. [4]
Table 5: Distribution of 2025 Overall Star Ratings by Length of Time in Program for MA-PDs
| 2025 Overall Rating | Number of Contracts with Fewer than Five Years | Percent Fewer than Five Years | Number of Contracts with Five years to Fewer than 10 Years | Percent Five Years to Fewer than 10 Years | Number of Contracts with 10 or More Years | Percent 10 or More Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 2 | 1.37 | 0 | 0.00 | 5 | 1.76 |
| 4.5 stars | 14 | 9.59 | 11 | 12.09 | 61 | 21.48 |
| 4 stars | 25 | 17.12 | 23 | 25.27 | 68 | 23.94 |
| 3.5 stars | 49 | 33.56 | 35 | 38.46 | 81 | 28.52 |
| 3 stars | 42 | 28.77 | 20 | 21.98 | 61 | 21.48 |
| 2.5 stars | 13 | 8.90 | 2 | 2.20 | 8 | 2.82 |
| 2 stars | 1 | 0.68 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Total Rated Contracts | 146 | 91 | 284 |
[Image of Table 5: Distribution of 2025 Overall Star Ratings by Length of Time in Program for MA-PDs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: 2025 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) star rating distribution based on contract longevity, showing a trend of higher ratings, particularly 4.5 and 4 stars, for contracts with 10 or more years in the program, suggesting experience contributes to better performance.]
Table 6: Distribution of 2025 Part D Ratings by Length of Time in Program for PDPs
| 2025 Part D Rating | Number of Contracts with Fewer than Five Years | Percent Fewer than Five Years | Number of Contracts with Five years to Fewer than 10 Years | Percent Five Years to Fewer than 10 Years | Number of Contracts with 10 or More Years | Percent 10 or More Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 33.33 | 1 | 2.70 |
| 4.5 stars | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 33.33 | 5 | 13.51 |
| 4 stars | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 8.11 |
| 3.5 stars | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 33.33 | 9 | 24.32 |
| 3 stars | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 11 | 29.73 |
| 2.5 stars | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 7 | 18.92 |
| 2 stars | 1 | 100.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 2.70 |
| Total Rated Contracts | 1 | 3 | 37 |
[Image of Table 6: Distribution of 2025 Part D Ratings by Length of Time in Program for PDPs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: 2025 Medicare Part D Plan (PDP) star rating distribution by contract duration in the program, indicating a tendency for plans with 5-10 years and 10+ years of experience to achieve higher ratings, although the trend is less pronounced than in MA-PDs due to fewer newer PDP contracts.]
Average Star Ratings Across Quality Measures
To further aid in your efforts to compare advantage medicare plans, it’s helpful to examine the average Star Ratings for individual quality measures. Tables 7, 8, and 9 present the average Star Ratings for Part C and Part D measures from 2022 to 2025. These averages are calculated using all measure scores for publicly reported contracts each year, after adjustments for extreme and uncontrollable circumstances. [4]
Table 7: 2022-2025 Average Star Rating by Part C Measure
| Measure | 2022 Average Star | 2023 Average Star | 2024 Average Star | 2025 Average Star |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer Screening | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 |
| Colorectal Cancer Screening | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 |
| Annual Flu Vaccine | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| Monitoring Physical Activity | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 |
| Special Needs Plan (SNP) Care Management | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Care for Older Adults – Medication Review | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Care for Older Adults – Pain Assessment | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.2 |
| Osteoporosis Management in Women who had a Fracture | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| Diabetes Care – Eye Exam | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Diabetes Care – Blood Sugar Controlled | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Controlling Blood Pressure | NA | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.0 |
| Reducing the Risk of Falling | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
| Improving Bladder Control | 2.7 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.0 |
| Medication Reconciliation Post-Discharge | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
| Plan All-Cause Readmissions | NA | NA | 2.9 | 3.1 |
| Statin Therapy for Patients with Cardiovascular Disease | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| Transitions of Care | NA | NA | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| Follow-up after Emergency Department Visit for People with Multiple High-Risk Chronic Conditions | NA | NA | 3.0 | 3.2 |
| Getting Needed Care | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Getting Appointments and Care Quickly | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Customer Service | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.5 |
| Rating of Health Care Quality | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| Rating of Health Plan | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| Care Coordination | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Complaints about the Plan | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Members Choosing to Leave the Plan | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Health Plan Quality Improvement | 3.7 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
| Plan Makes Timely Decisions about Appeals | 4.6 | 4.6. | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Reviewing Appeals Decisions | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Call Center – Foreign Language Interpreter and TTY Availability | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
[Image of Table 7: 2022-2025 Average Star Rating by Part C Measure, as presented in the original article. Alt text: Trend of average star ratings for Medicare Part C measures from 2022 to 2025, showing fluctuations across various healthcare quality indicators like cancer screenings, flu vaccines, chronic condition management, and customer service, reflecting evolving performance in these areas.]
Table 8: 2022-2025 Average Star Rating by Part D Measure for MA-PDs
| Measure | 2022 MA-PD Average Star | 2023 MA-PD Average Star | 2024 MA-PD Average Star | 2025 MA-PD Average Star |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Center – Foreign Language Interpreter and TTY Availability | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Complaints about the Plan | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Members Choosing to Leave the Plan | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Drug Plan Quality Improvement | 4.2 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Rating of Drug Plan | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
| Getting Needed Prescription Drugs | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| MPF Price Accuracy | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 |
| Medication Adherence for Diabetes Medications | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Medication Adherence for Hypertension (RAS antagonists) | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Medication Adherence for Cholesterol (Statins) | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
| MTM Program Completion Rate for CMR | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
| Statin Use in Persons with Diabetes (SUPD) | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.8 |
[Image of Table 8: 2022-2025 Average Star Rating by Part D Measure for MA-PDs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: Average star rating trends for Medicare Part D measures within MA-PD contracts from 2022 to 2025, covering aspects like call center accessibility, complaint handling, member retention, drug plan quality, prescription access, price accuracy, and medication adherence, indicating performance shifts in these key areas.]
Table 9: 2022-2025 Average Star Rating by Part D Measure for PDPs
| Measure | 2022 PDP Average Star | 2023 PDP Average Star | 2024 PDP Average Star | 2025 PDP Average Star |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Center – Foreign Language Interpreter and TTY Availability | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Complaints about the Plan | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Members Choosing to Leave the Plan | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| Drug Plan Quality Improvement | 4.1 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Rating of Drug Plan | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
| Getting Needed Prescription Drugs | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
| MPF Price Accuracy | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| Medication Adherence for Diabetes Medications | 3.9 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
| Medication Adherence for Hypertension (RAS antagonists) | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
| Medication Adherence for Cholesterol (Statins) | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| MTM Program Completion Rate for CMR | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 |
| Statin Use in Persons with Diabetes (SUPD) | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 2.7 |
[Image of Table 9: 2022-2025 Average Star Rating by Part D Measure for PDPs, as presented in the original article. Alt text: Average star rating trends for Medicare Part D measures specifically for PDP contracts from 2022 to 2025, examining similar metrics as MA-PD Part D ratings but focusing on stand-alone prescription drug plans, providing insights into the performance of these plans over time.]
By reviewing these average ratings across various measures, you can gain a more granular understanding of plan performance in specific areas of care and service. This detailed information is invaluable when you compare advantage medicare plans and prioritize certain aspects of healthcare quality.
Conclusion: Leveraging Star Ratings to Choose the Right Medicare Plan
The 2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings provide a comprehensive and objective assessment of plan quality, designed to empower Medicare beneficiaries to make informed healthcare decisions. When you compare advantage medicare plans, the Star Ratings serve as a crucial guide, highlighting plans that consistently deliver high-quality care and services. By understanding the nuances of these ratings – from overall scores to measure-level performance, and considering factors like plan type, tax status, and program tenure – you can confidently select a Medicare plan that best meets your individual health needs and preferences. Utilize the Medicare Plan Finder and delve into the Star Ratings to ensure you are choosing a plan that prioritizes your health and well-being.
APPENDIX
Table A1: MA-PD Contracts Receiving the 2025 High-Performing Icon
| Contract ID | Contract Name | Parent Organization | 10/2024 Enrollment | 5 Star Last Year | Includes SNP Plan Benefit Packages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H3957 | HIGHMARK CHOICE COMPANY | Highmark Health | 55,015 | Yes | No |
| H4286 | LEON HEALTH, INC. | LMC Family Holdings, LLC | 38,877 | Yes | Yes |
| H5215 | NETWORK HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATION | Network Health, Inc. | 77,798 | Yes | Yes |
| H5296 | ALIGNMENT HEALTH PLAN OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC. | Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC | 6,212 | Yes | Yes |
| H5431 | HEALTHSUN HEALTH PLANS, INC. | Elevance Health, Inc. | 56,202 | Yes | Yes |
| H5577 | MCS ADVANTAGE, INC. | MHH Healthcare, L.P. | 284,055 | Yes | Yes |
| H5594 | OPTIMUM HEALTHCARE, INC. | Elevance Health, Inc. | 62,883 | Yes | Yes |
Table A2: 1876 Cost Contracts Receiving the 2025 High-Performing Icon*
| Contract ID | Contract Name | Parent Organization | 10/2024 Enrollment | 5 Star Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H5256 | MEDICAL ASSOCIATES CLINIC HEALTH PLAN | Medical Associates Clinic, P.C. | 4,536 | Yes |
| H5264 | DEAN HEALTH PLAN, INC. | Medica Holding Company | 12,192 | Yes |
*1876 Cost Contracts do not offer SNPs
Table A3: PDP Contracts Receiving the 2025 High-Performing Icon
| Contract ID | Contract Name | Parent Organization | 10/2024 Enrollment | 5 Star Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S3389 | UPMC HEALTH BENEFITS, INC. | UPMC Health System | 1,474 | No |
| S4501 | INDEPENDENT HEALTH BENEFITS CORPORATION | Independent Health Association, Inc. | 7,329 | Yes |
Table A4: Contracts Receiving the Low Performing Icon for the 2025 Star Ratings
| Contract ID | Contract Name | Parent Organization | Reason for Low-Performance Warning | 10/2024 Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H0724 | BUCKEYE HEALTH PLAN COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, Inc. | Centene Corporation | Part C or D | * |
| H2853 | CENTENE VENTURE COMPANY TENNESSEE | Centene Corporation | Part C or D | * |
| H4982 | AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF CALIFORNIA INC. | CVS Health Corporation | Part C or D | 26,484 |
| H5475 | MERIDIAN HEALTH PLAN OF MICHIGAN, INC. | Centene Corporation | Part C or D | 23,615 |
| H6713 | WELLCARE OF ILLINOIS, INC. | Centene Corporation | Part C or D | 10,819 |
| H7330 | ZING HEALTH, INC. | Zing Health Consolidator, Inc | Part C or D | 3,360 |
| H8553 | WELLCARE HEALTH INSURANCE OF THE SOUTHWEST, INC. | Centene Corporation | Part C or D | 1,952 |
| S6946 | CLEAR SPRING HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY | Group 1001 | Part D | 340,855 |
*No enrollment is showing for this contract in the CMS enrollment files. This contract only has 800 series plans for employer group enrollees.
[1] See also the Announcement of Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies, page 130 at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2025-announcement.pdf.
[2]https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/06/02/2020-11342/medicare-program-contract-year-2021-policy-and-technical-changes-to-the-medicare-advantage-program.
[3] Percentages in the tables may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
[4] The qualifying extreme and uncontrollable circumstances for the 2023 performance period include severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes in Mississippi, Typhoon Mawar in Guam, wildfires in Hawaii, and Hurricane Idalia in Florida and Georgia. See the 2025 Rate Announcement at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2025-announcement.pdf.
[5] 42 C.F.R. §§ 422.166(h)(1)(i), 423.186(h)(1)(i).
[6] 42 C.F.R. §§ 422.166(h)(1)(ii), 423.186(h)(1)(ii).
