UnitedHealthcare and Centene have received higher Medicare Advantage star ratings for the 2025 plan year after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revised their scores.
On Monday, CMS published updated Medicare Advantage Star Ratings program data that reveal the agency increased the quality ratings for 12 UnitedHealthcare contracts and seven Centene contracts, each of which comprise multiple Medicare Advantage plans. CMS issued 2025 star ratings for all Medicare Advantage insurers in October.
Related: Why 3 Medicare Advantage insurers sued over star ratings
The number of Medicare Advantage contracts winning at least four out of five stars, and thus qualifying for large bonus payments, has dwindled over the past several years as CMS tightened standards. The Medicare annual enrollment period ends Saturday.
The tougher road to top star ratings and extra revenue has roiled the health insurance industry and contributed to cutbacks in supplemental benefits, geographic retreats, marketer compensation and other maneuvers insurers have made to mollify investors. UnitedHealth Group, Centene, Humana, Elevance Health, Scan Health Plan and others have sue CMS over its management of the quality program, at times successfully.
