Medicare’s fall open enrollment period offers a dizzying array of options, but there are shortcuts that can save you time.
One is the star ratings that the federal government gives to Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Part D plans every fall.
These ratings, out of five possible stars, are designed “to measure the quality of health and prescription drug services received by consumers enrolled in MA and Part D prescription drug plans,” as the government puts it.
Star ratings for Medicare Advantage plans, for example, are based on more than two dozen factors. They include measures of customer service, complaints from plan members, and outcome-based measures like how well blood sugar is controlled in diabetes patients and how well osteoporosis is managed in women who had a bone fracture.
The government also recognizes the plans with the best and worst ratings with what it calls a “high-performing icon” or a “low-performing icon,” respectively.
Only 11 plans for 2025 earned the high-performing icon — a lot fewer than the 36 plans for 2024 that earned it. Another eight plans for 2025 earned the low-performing icon.
On average, Medicare Advantage plans for 2025 earned 3.92 stars, down from 4.07 the prior year. Part D plans averaged 3.06 stars, down from 3.34.
Following is a look at the 2025 plans that are the best of the best — followed by the worst of the worst.
High-performing Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare — the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older or have certain conditions — comes in two main flavors: Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The former is offered directly by the federal government, whereas Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies that contract with the government.
Medicare Advantage plans tend to cost less despite covering more than Original Medicare — the vast majority include prescription drug coverage, for example. But Medicare Advantage plans typically restrict enrollees to a particular network of health care providers and are more likely to require prior authorization.
This year, seven Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage bear the Medicare program’s high-performing icon, meaning they earned five stars. They are:
- Highmark Choice Company (contract ID H3957), which is part of Highmark Health and had 55,015 enrollees in 2024
- Leon Health, Inc. (H4286), which is part of LMC Family Holdings, LLC and had 38,877 enrollees in 2024
- Network Health Insurance Corporation (H5215), which is part of Network Health, Inc. and had 77,798 enrollees in 2024
- Alignment Health Plan of North Carolina, Inc. (H5296), which is part of Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC and had 6,212 enrollees in 2024
- HealthSun Health Plans, Inc. (H5431), which is part of Elevance Health, Inc. and had 56,202 enrollees in 2024
- MCS Advantage, Inc. (H5577), which is part of MHH Healthcare, L.P. and had 284,055 enrollees in 2024
- Optimum HealthCare, Inc. (H5594), which is part of Elevance Health, Inc. and had 62,883 enrollees in 2024
All these plans also received the high-performing icon last year.
High-performing Part D plans
Medicare Part D plans are stand-alone prescription drug plans offered by private insurers. People who have Original Medicare have the option, but are not required, to buy a Part D plan to help pay for prescription costs that Original Medicare does not cover. (People with Medicare Advantage cannot buy a stand-alone Part D plan, but again, Medicare Advantage typically covers drug costs.)
This year, only two stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans bear Medicare’s high-performing icon, meaning they earned five stars. They are:
- UPMC Health Benefits, Inc. (contract ID S3389), which is part of UPMC Health System and had 1,474 enrollees in 2024
- Independent Health Benefits Corporation (S4501), which is part of Independent Health Association, Inc. and had 7,329 enrollees in 2024
The Independent Health Benefits Corporation plan also received the high-performing icon last year. The UPMC Health Benefits plan did not.
High-performing cost plans
Medicare cost plans are similar to Medicare Advantage plans, but people on cost plans can go to out-of-network health care providers and have the cost covered through Medicare. Cost plans are only available in certain, limited areas, however, and they are being phased out. So no new cost plans are being created going forward.
This year, two existing cost plans bear Medicare’s high-performing icon, meaning they earned five stars. They are:
- Medical Associates Clinic Health Plan (contract ID H5256), which is part of Medical Associates Clinic, P.C. and had 4,536 enrollees in 2024
- Dean Health Plan, Inc. (H5264), which is part of Medica Holding Company and had 12,192 enrollees in 2024
Both of these plans also received the high-performing icon last year.
Low-performing Medicare Advantage plans
This year, eight Medicare Advantage or stand-alone Part D plans bear Medicare’s low-performing icon, indicating “consistently low quality ratings,” as Medicare puts it. The Medicare Advantage plans with this dubious distinction are:
- Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions, Inc. (contract ID H0724), which is part of Centene Corp. (2024 enrollment unavailable)
- Centene Venture Company Tennessee (H2853), which is part of Centene Corp. (2024 enrollment unavailable)
- Aetna Better Health of California Inc. (H4982), which is part of CVS Health Corp. and had 26,484 enrollees in 2024
- Meridian Health Plan of Michigan, Inc. (H5475), which is part of Centene Corp. and had 23,615 enrollees in 2024
- Wellcare of Illinois, Inc. (H6713), which is part of Centene Corp. and had 10,819 enrollees in 2024
- Zing Health, Inc. (H7330), which is part of Zing Health Consolidator, Inc. and had 3,360 enrollees in 2024
- Wellcare Health Insurance of the Southwest, Inc. (H8553), which is part of Centene Corp. and had 1,952 enrollees in 2024
Low-performing Part D plans
Just one Part D plan bears Medicare’s low-performing icon this year:
- Clear Spring Health Insurance Company (S6946), which is part of Group 1001 and had 340,855 enrollees in 2024
How to find Medicare plan star ratings
Medicare plan star ratings are available to people who are currently have or are eligible for Medicare health insurance. Log into your Medicare account via the official Medicare website, where you can use the free Medicare Plan Finder tool to view plan ratings.
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