2026 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Were Recalculated: What Beneficiaries Should Check

CMS updated its Part C and D performance data page on June 22, 2026. The page points to 2026 Star Ratings materials and recalculated 2026 categorical adjustment index values for 2027 quality bonus payment ratings.

That is a technical update, but it matters because Star Ratings can influence how plans are evaluated and how beneficiaries compare Medicare Advantage and Part D options. If you looked at ratings earlier in the year, treat the update as a reason to re-check the current plan details before relying on an old screenshot, brochure, or saved comparison.

A recalculated rating does not automatically mean your doctors changed, your prescriptions changed tiers, your dental allowance changed, or your premium changed. It means the quality data or related rating calculation available from CMS may have been updated.

For beneficiaries, the practical takeaway is to avoid over-reading the headline. Star Ratings can help you compare plan quality signals, but they are only one part of the decision. The plan that fits you still has to work in your county, with your providers, prescriptions, pharmacies, and budget.

CMS publishes Part C and Part D performance data and says the performance data page is updated on a regular basis. Rating files, technical notes, display measures, and related adjustment materials can be revised as CMS applies methodology, data, or administrative updates.

That does not mean every plan rating changes. It also does not mean a lower-rated plan is automatically wrong for a specific person or that a higher-rated plan is automatically the best choice. It means the rating should be checked from a current source when you are making an enrollment decision.

Start with the basics: confirm the plan year, county, plan name, contract and plan ID, and whether you are comparing a Medicare Advantage plan, a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage, or a standalone Part D plan. Similar names can hide different local details.

Then compare Star Ratings next to the details that affect your real costs and access: monthly premium, maximum out-of-pocket limit, doctor and hospital network, referrals, prior authorization, prescriptions, pharmacy pricing, drug rules, and any supplemental benefits you expect to use.

Medicare.gov explains that Medicare Advantage plan types can differ by network access, referrals, prescription drug arrangements, and prior authorization. Those rules can matter more than a rating if your doctor is out of network or an important medication is expensive under the plan.

Before enrollment, verify your providers directly with the plan directory and the provider office, and verify your prescriptions with current formulary and pharmacy pricing information. A plan can have a strong Star Rating and still be a poor fit for a specific doctor, hospital, pharmacy, or medication list.

Pay closer attention if you are comparing two plans that otherwise look similar, if a plan was close to a Star Rating threshold, if you are using ratings to break a tie, or if an agent, mailer, or website is citing older rating information.

Also slow down if you are reviewing a plan before the Annual Enrollment Period. Plan benefits, service areas, premiums, drug coverage, and ratings can all be discussed in marketing, but the final decision should be based on current official plan information and your own care needs.

CMS: “Part C and D Performance Data,” including the June 22, 2026 page update and related 2026 Star Ratings, technical notes, data tables, display measures, and recalculated categorical adjustment index materials. Medicare.gov: “Compare types of Medicare Advantage Plans,” which explains plan-type differences for drugs, provider networks, referrals, and prior authorization.