CMS released its Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2026 on Oct. 9. Strong ratings, with five stars being the highest score, lead to plans earning quality bonus payments. Eighteen plans achieved a 5-star status, versus only seven last year. These…
Medicare Advantage
CMS shared its Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2026 on Oct. 9. Strong ratings lead to plans earning quality bonus payments, while plans that consistently underperform may encounter more oversight and a higher risk of contract cancellation. The number of…
CMS released Medicare Advantage star ratings on Oct. 9, showing an average score of 3.65 for 2026, compared to 3.92 last year. Plans were evaluated by the agency across 40 quality criteria spanning outcomes, experience, access, operations, and pharmacy. Plans…
The American Hospital Association critiqued the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s initial assessment of Medicare Advantage enrollment changes and its effect on hospital finances, according to an Oct. 3 letter from Molly Smith, AHA’s group vice president of public policy. MedPAC…
Sentara Health Plans will not offer Medicare Advantage, MA prescription drug HMO, or C-SNP plans in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida in 2026. “These products are no longer financially sustainable in the current environment. Industry-wide headwinds and market dynamics, including…
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As many major insurers scale back on Medicare Advantage, some players are exiting the market entirely. Here’s a look at the insurers that are fully backing out: Editor’s note: This is not an exhaustive list. It will continue to be…
Ochsner Health Plan will no longer offer Medicare Advantage plans in 2026. The insurer, part of Jefferson, La.-based Oschner Health, has around 6,000 total MA members, per CMS enrollment data. The majority of members are enrolled in an HMO plan,…
Blue Cross Blue Shield is exiting the Medicare Advantage market for 2026, citing an unsustainable market to offer affordable products. The company will continue to offer Medicare supplement plans, according to an Oct. 1 news release. Many insurers have exited…
CMS has suspended Gold Kidney of Florida from enrolling new members into one of its Medicare Advantage plans after state regulators found significant compliance and financial oversight failures. On Sept. 12, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation issued a consent…
Only 20% of Humana members are currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans with at least four stars for 2026, according to regulatory filings from the insurer. Preliminary 2026 Medicare Advantage star ratings data was available on CMS plan finder on…