The CMS quietly released highly anticipated 2026 star ratings for MA insurers on Thursday evening. The agency normally issues a press release on the results, but has yet to do so. Operations may be hampered by the government shutdown — the HHS said communication would be affected in its contingency plan for a lapse in appropriations.
Still, the release of the 2026 data file showed weighted average stars rose slightly, from 3.96 to 3.98, according to an estimate from investment bank TD Cowen. That’s better than many industry watchers expected given regulators made the highest ratings more difficult to achieve, including by upping standards after the coronavirus pandemic and eliminating outliers from their calculations. ARTICLE
