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Understanding Medicare's Star Ratings

Published on: Jan 07 2015

Medicare now rates many providers with from one to five starts, with five being the highest rating. It rates Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Drug plans, nursing homes, and more.

The ratings mean more to you than indications of the quality of care. Five-star Medicare Advantage and Part D plans have expanded enrollment periods. You can enroll in these plans at any time during the year, not only during the open enrollment period near the end of the year. So, if you are unhappy with your plan during the year, you can switch to a five-star plan, if one is available in your area. There currently are fewer than 20 Medicare Advantage plans with the five-star rating nationwide. Keep in mind that you only can take advantage of this switch once during the year. After switching to a five-star plan, you have to stay with it the rest of the plan year. Find details on the Medicare web site using this page of search results.

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