The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Star Ratings for the 2019
Part D prescription plans. In 2019, approximately 31% of stand-alone prescription drug plans will have a rating of 4 stars or higher. The majority of enrollees are in prescription drug plans with 3.5 stars or higher.
The Star Ratings system helps people with Medicare, their families, and their caregivers compare the quality of health and drug plans being offered. Medicare scores how well plans perform in several categories, including quality of care and customer service. Ratings range from one to five stars, with five being the highest and one being the lowest. Plans are rated in each individual category.
Medicare also assigns plans one overall star rating to summarize the plan’s performance as a whole. You can use the overall star rating to compare performance among several different plans. To learn more about differences among plans, look at plans’ ratings in each category.
Plan performance is reviewed annually and new star ratings are released each fall. This means plan ratings may change from year to year. Part D plans are rated on how well they perform in four different categories:
1. Drug plan customer service
2. Member complaints, problems getting services, and choosing to leave the plan
3. Member experience with the drug plan
4. Drug pricing and patient safety
Remember: Before you consider a plan’s star rating, make sure the plan’s coverage and costs suit your needs.