Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to help people with Medicare compare plans ahead of Medicare Open Enrollment, which kicks off on October 15. Plans are rated on a one-to-five scale, with one star representing poor performance and five stars representing excellent performance. Star Ratings are released annually and reflect the experiences of people enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. The Star Ratings system supports CMS’s efforts to empower people to make health care decisions that are best for them.
“The Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings are important tools in the toolbox for beneficiaries to use as they consider Medicare coverage options,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “CMS’s annual ratings deliver meaningful information about the quality of each plan to help people with Medicare make informed health care decisions.”
People with Medicare can compare quality through the Star Ratings, along with other information such as cost and coverage, on the online Medicare Plan Finder tool available on Medicare.gov. According to the latest data, approximately 68 percent of Medicare Advantage plans that offer prescription drug coverage will have an overall rating of four stars or higher in 2022, up from 49 percent in 2021. Approximately 90 percent of people currently in Medicare Advantage plans that offer prescription drug coverage are enrolled in a plan that earned four or more stars in 2022. The number of plans with a rating of 4 or more stars is higher for 2022 compared to last year. While adjustments were made for the 2022 Star Ratings due to the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this also reflects improvements in sponsors’ scores on several measures.
Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15, 2021, and ends December 7, 2021. During this time, Medicare beneficiaries can compare coverage options like Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and choose health and drug plans for 2022. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, so Medicare beneficiaries should look at their coverage choices and decide on the options that best meet their health needs. They can visit Medicare.gov (https://www.medicare.gov), call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact their State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
For more information on the 2022 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings, including a fact sheet, please visit: http://go.cms.gov/partcanddstarratings, and download the “2022 Star Ratings Data” zip file in the downloads section.
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