Open Enrollment · Mesa County, Colorado · Plan year 2027
2027 Medicare star ratings: how Mesa County's plans scored, and how to use them this Open Enrollment
CMS posted the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D star ratings on October 8. We matched them to every plan CMS lists for Mesa County — Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Clifton, Orchard Mesa and the Redlands — so you can see what moved, what didn't, and what the stars can and can't tell you before December 7.
The bottom line
- Mesa County has 13 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone for 2027, plus 11 special needs plans and 8 stand-alone drug plans, according to CMS's 2027 landscape file.
- 10 of those 13 plans come from contracts rated 4 stars (Select Health, Humana and two Aetna contracts). None is rated 5 stars.
- Ratings moved both ways. Humana's main PPO contract rose from 3.5 to 4 stars; Select Health and Aetna's PPO contract each slipped from 4.5 to 4. Humana's drug plans jumped from 3 to 4.5 stars.
- No 5-star switch option here. Colorado's only 2027 plan from a 5-star contract is a Front Range nursing-home plan, so the 5-star Special Enrollment Period isn't available in Mesa County.
- Stars are a quality check, not a price tag. Network, drug costs and the $4,900–$9,850 out-of-pocket cap range matter at least as much.
- Deadline: Open Enrollment runs October 15–December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
The short answer
For 2027, the Medicare Advantage plans you can join in Mesa County are rated between 3 and 4 stars, and most of them — 10 of 13 — sit at 4 stars. Stand-alone Part D drug plans here range from 2.5 to 4.5 stars. No plan in the county has 5 stars. The ratings are a useful quality check, but they should come after your doctors, your drugs and your total yearly cost — not before.
CMS rates each Medicare Advantage and Part D contract every fall on a 1-to-5 scale, in half-star steps. The 2027 ratings, published October 8, 2026, are the ones shown on Medicare Plan Finder during this Open Enrollment Period. Most of the underlying data comes from 2025 care and early-2026 member surveys, so a star is a look back at how a company performed, not a promise about next year.
Sources: CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026) · CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables. Retrieved October 2026.
Sources: CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026) · CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables · CMS — Medicare Monthly Enrollment (data.cms.gov), annual county and state totals, 2013–2025. Percentages are our arithmetic.
What do Medicare star ratings measure?
Star ratings are CMS's report card for private Medicare plans. For 2027, a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage is scored on up to 43 measures, and a stand-alone Part D plan on up to 13. CMS sets "cut points" for each measure that decide whether a plan earns one to five stars on it, then rolls the measures into Part C, Part D and overall summaries.
The measures fall into a few groups:
- Staying healthy: breast and colorectal cancer screening, flu shots, and whether members' physical and mental health held steady or improved.
- Managing chronic conditions: diabetes eye exams and blood-sugar control, blood pressure control, care after a fracture, follow-up after an emergency visit, and hospital readmissions.
- Member experience: survey questions on getting needed care, getting appointments quickly, customer service, care coordination, and how members rate the plan overall.
- Complaints, appeals and turnover: complaints to Medicare, how many members chose to leave, and whether appeals were decided on time and fairly.
- Drug plan measures: getting needed prescriptions, Plan Finder price accuracy, medication adherence for diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol drugs, and drug-safety checks.
Two drug-safety measures are new for 2027 — concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines, and use of multiple anticholinergic medications in older adults. CMS also tripled the weight of the two "improving or maintaining physical and mental health" measures and retired the pain-assessment and post-discharge medication-reconciliation measures.
One detail that trips people up: ratings are given to a contract, not to each plan. Every plan under contract H5216, for example, carries Humana's H5216 rating, whether it's a $0-premium plan or a $20 one.
Sources: CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026) · CMS — Medicare 2027 Part C & D Star Ratings Technical Notes (updated September 30, 2026) · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (Measure Data table, 2027).
How did plans do nationally in 2027?
A little worse at the top, a little better at the bottom. CMS rated 508 Medicare Advantage contracts with drug coverage. About 37% of them (188 contracts) earned 4 stars or more, and because the largest plans tend to score higher, about 71% of enrollees are in a contract rated 4 stars or more for 2027. The enrollment-weighted average slipped from 4.01 to 3.99.
Source: CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026), Table 1 (2027 overall rating, MA-PD contracts; share of contracts, not enrollment).
Only 15 contracts nationwide earned 5 stars, down from 22 for 2026, and 4 carry Medicare's low-performing icon for consistently weak ratings. Stand-alone drug plans improved: their enrollment-weighted average rose from 3.01 to 3.22, and about 27% of drug-plan contracts earned 4 stars or more. CMS also notes the ratings feed into the quality bonus payments plans receive in 2028.
Sources: CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026), Tables 1–2 and Appendix · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (High and Low Performing Contracts tables).
Which Medicare Advantage plans are in Mesa County for 2027?
CMS's 2027 landscape file lists 13 Medicare Advantage plans open to general enrollment in Mesa County — 10 with Part D drug coverage and 3 without — from five companies. Here they are with the 2027 overall star rating of each plan's contract. Premiums are the plan's monthly premium; you also keep paying your Part B premium.
| Plan (2027) | Monthly plan premium | Drug coverage | In-network out-of-pocket max | 2027 overall stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select Health Medicare Essential (HMO) H1994-029 | $0 | Yes | $4,900 | 4 |
| Select Health Medicare Veterans (HMO) H1994-033 | $0 | No | $6,750 | 4 |
| HumanaChoice H5216-223 (PPO) H5216-223 | $20 | Yes | $4,900 | 4 |
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) H5216-078 | $0 | Yes | $6,250 | 4 |
| Humana Essentials Plus Giveback (PPO) H5216-435 | $0 | Yes | $7,850 | 4 |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) H5216-436 | $0 | No | $6,200 | 4 |
| Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO) H5521-378 | $0 | No | $5,500 | 4 |
| Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) H5521-207 | $0 | Yes | $7,150 | 4 |
| Aetna Medicare Value Care (PPO) H5521-443 | $18.40 | Yes | $7,150 | 4 |
| Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO) H5593-007 | $0 | Yes | $5,900 | 4 |
| Anthem Medicare Advantage (HMO-POS) H4346-012 | $0 | Yes | $9,850 | 3.5 |
| HealthSpring True Choice (PPO) H7849-147 | $0 | Yes | $9,500 | 3 |
| HealthSpring Preferred (HMO) H2752-007 | $0 | Yes | $7,150 | Not enough data |
Sources: CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county (Mesa County rows; premium, drug coverage and MOOP) · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (2027 Summary Ratings). Grouped by star rating and company; the order is not a recommendation. Benefits and premiums can change and are confirmed on Medicare Plan Finder.
Three things stand out:
- Most choices cluster at 4 stars. That makes the star rating a weak tie-breaker in Mesa County. When ten plans share the same number, the real differences are network, drug pricing and the out-of-pocket maximum.
- The out-of-pocket cap varies by almost $5,000. From $4,900 (Select Health Medicare Essential and HumanaChoice H5216-223) to $9,850 (Anthem). In a year with surgery or a hospital stay, that gap can matter far more than half a star.
- Three plans have no drug coverage. Select Health Medicare Veterans, Humana USAA Honor Giveback and Aetna Medicare Eagle are typically used by people who get their prescriptions elsewhere, such as through the VA. Joining one without creditable drug coverage can mean a Part D late penalty. Our VA benefits and Medicare guide explains how those fit together.
The 11 special needs plans — mostly for people with both Medicare and Health First Colorado (Medicaid) — are rated between 3.5 and 4.5 stars where CMS had enough data. Humana's H7617 dual-eligible plan is the only plan in Mesa County from a 4.5-star contract. See our dual-eligible plan guide for who qualifies.
Whose ratings went up or down?
Here is each contract behind Mesa County's general-enrollment plans, with its 2026 and 2027 ratings and two measures people tend to care about: how members rate the plan (a 0–100 survey score, with the measure's own star in parentheses) and the share of members who chose to leave it.
| Contract | 2026 overall | 2027 overall | 2027 health (Part C) / drug (Part D) | Members' rating of plan | Members who chose to leave | Mesa County members, Oct. 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select Health (H1994) | 4.5 | 4 | 4 / 4.5 | 88 (4★) | 11% | 1,531 |
| Humana (H5216) | 3.5 | 4 | 4 / 4 | 86 (3★) | 21% | 7,625 |
| Aetna PPO (H5521) | 4.5 | 4 | 4.5 / 3 | 84 (2★) | 18% | 1,965 |
| Aetna HMO (H5593) | 4 | 4 | 4 / 3.5 | 89 (5★) | 25% | Not listed |
| Anthem (H4346) | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3 / 4 | 82 (1★) | 19% | 257 |
| HealthSpring PPO (H7849) | 3 | 3 | 3 / 2.5 | 80 (1★) | 8% | 25 |
| HealthSpring HMO (H2752) | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data / 2.5 | Plan too small | Not enough data | Not listed |
Sources: CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (2027 Summary Ratings, Measure Data and Measure Stars — measures C25 Rating of Health Plan, surveyed March–May 2026, and C28 Members Choosing to Leave the Plan, 2025; 2026 Summary Ratings, July 2026 update) · CMS — Monthly Enrollment by Contract/Plan/State/County, October 2026 (individual plans only; CMS hides counts under 11, and "Not listed" means no Mesa County count was published). A lower "chose to leave" rate is better.
What changed for the companies most Mesa County members use:
- Humana (H5216) went from 3.5 to 4 stars, with its drug rating up from 3 to 4. It's by far the largest Medicare Advantage contract here, with 7,625 Mesa County members in its individual plans in October 2026.
- Aetna's PPO contract (H5521) slipped from 4.5 to 4. Its health-plan side held at 4.5, but its drug rating fell from 5 to 3, and members rated the plan 84 out of 100 — 2 stars on that measure.
- Select Health (H1994) slipped from 4.5 to 4, though its drug rating rose from 3 to 4.5. It had the lowest share of members choosing to leave among the larger contracts here, at 11%.
- Anthem (3.5) and HealthSpring's PPO (3) held steady. Both scored 1 star on members' overall rating of the plan.
- HealthSpring Preferred (H2752) has no overall rating yet. Medicare.gov shows "not enough data" for newer or smaller contracts. That isn't a bad score — it's no score.
Sources: CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables · CMS — Monthly Enrollment by Contract/Plan/State/County, October 2026.
Want the stars, your doctors and your prescriptions on one page? We'll compare the 2027 plans we offer in Mesa County side by side — rating, network, drug costs and out-of-pocket maximum — and tell you what changed in your current plan. No charge, no obligation.
How did Mesa County's drug plans score?
Colorado is a single Part D region, so the same 8 stand-alone drug plans are available in Grand Junction as in Denver. Those are the plans people pair with Original Medicare and a Medigap policy — 14,995 Mesa County residents had a stand-alone drug plan in 2025.
| Drug plan (2027) | Monthly premium | Deductible | 2026 Part D stars | 2027 Part D stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP) | $11.30 | $700 | 3 | 4.5 |
| Humana Value Rx Plan (PDP) | $102.30 | $687 | 3 | 4.5 |
| Humana Premier Rx Plan (PDP) | $156.40 | $350 | 3 | 4.5 |
| Wellcare Value Script (PDP) | $5.30 | $700 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Wellcare Classic (PDP) | $7.30 | $700 | 3.5 | 3 |
| AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP) | $211.70 | $700 | 2 | 3 |
| AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC (PDP) | $260.20 | $300 | 2 | 3 |
| HealthSpring Assurance Rx (PDP) | $126.50 | $700 | 2 | 2.5 |
Sources: CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county (Colorado PDP rows; total Part D premium and deductible) · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (Part D summary ratings, 2026 and 2027). Premiums are before any Extra Help.
The biggest mover is Humana, whose drug plans went from 3 to 4.5 stars. UnitedHealthcare's AARP plans rose from 2 to 3. Wellcare — the largest stand-alone drug contract in Mesa County, with 9,161 members in October 2026 — dipped from 3.5 to 3.
Two cautions. First, star ratings and premiums don't move together: here, the two lowest-premium drug plans are rated 3 stars, and the highest-premium plans are not the highest rated. Second, every 2027 Part D plan caps your yearly out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,400, according to CMS's landscape file — but a plan's formulary and pharmacy network still decide how fast you get there. Our Part D out-of-pocket cap explainer and preferred pharmacy guide go deeper.
Sources: CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county · CMS — Monthly Enrollment by Contract/Plan/State/County, October 2026 · CMS — Medicare Monthly Enrollment (data.cms.gov), annual county and state totals, 2013–2025.
Can I use the 5-star Special Enrollment Period?
Not in Mesa County for 2027. Medicare.gov says that if a Medicare Advantage plan, drug plan or Cost plan with an overall 5-star rating is available where you live, you can switch into it once, between December 8 and November 30 — outside the usual enrollment windows.
For 2027, the only Colorado plan in CMS's landscape file from a 5-star contract is a UnitedHealthcare nursing-home special needs plan offered in 12 Front Range counties, from Larimer and Weld down to Pueblo and Fremont. It is not offered on the Western Slope, and no stand-alone drug plan in Colorado has a 5-star Part D rating for 2027. So in Mesa County, October 15–December 7 is the window that counts this year, along with the January 1–March 31 Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
There's a mirror-image rule too. Medicare.gov's low-performing plan Special Enrollment Period lets you leave a plan that has been rated below 3 stars for three years in a row. None of the 4 contracts carrying that icon for 2027 offers plans in Mesa County.
Sources: Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods (5-star SEP and low-performing plan SEP) · CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables (High and Low Performing Contracts tables). See also our Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment guide.
What star ratings don't tell you
Star ratings are a reasonable way to rule out a plan with real service problems. They're a poor way to pick between plans that look alike. Before you lean on them, keep these limits in mind:
- They're a year or two old. Most 2027 measures cover care in 2025, and the surveys ran in early 2026. A company's network or customer service can change faster than that.
- They're national or regional, not local. A contract's rating reflects all its members, often across several states. How a plan works with Grand Junction doctors and hospitals isn't measured separately.
- They don't check your doctors. A 4-star HMO that doesn't include your cardiologist is a worse fit for you than a 3.5-star plan that does. Check every provider by name for 2027.
- They don't price your prescriptions. Plan Finder can estimate your yearly drug cost; the star can't.
- They don't cover Medigap. Medicare supplement insurance isn't star-rated at all. If you're weighing Original Medicare plus Medigap against Medicare Advantage, see our Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage comparison.
Sources: CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026) · CMS — Medicare 2027 Part C & D Star Ratings Technical Notes (updated September 30, 2026) (measurement periods) · CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables.
Why this matters in Mesa County
More Mesa County residents are making this choice every year. In 2025, 19,186 of the county's 41,023 Medicare enrollees — 46.8% — were in Medicare Advantage or another private health plan, up from about a third in the late 2010s. Statewide, the share was 52.6%.
Source: CMS — Medicare Monthly Enrollment (data.cms.gov), annual county and state totals, 2013–2025; our calculation of Medicare Advantage and other health plan enrollees divided by total enrollees (2013: 10,034 of 27,283; 2016: 10,589 of 30,383; 2019: 11,794 of 34,492; 2022: 15,604 of 37,809; 2025: 19,186 of 41,023).
Mesa County also has more Medicare Advantage choices than most of the Western Slope. CMS lists 13 general-enrollment plans here for 2027, compared with 10 in Delta County, 7 in Montrose County and none in Garfield County. More choice makes it more important to compare carefully — and more tempting to stop at the star rating.
If you're in a plan that isn't on the 2027 list above, read your mail. Some contracts with Mesa County members in 2026, including an Aetna HMO contract and a HealthSpring HMO contract, don't appear in CMS's 2027 landscape file for the county. Your plan may be ending or moving you into another plan, and your Annual Notice of Change or non-renewal letter will say which. Our non-renewal rights guide explains your options.
Sources: CMS — Medicare Monthly Enrollment (data.cms.gov), annual county and state totals, 2013–2025 · CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county · CMS — Monthly Enrollment by Contract/Plan/State/County, October 2026.
Seven steps before December 7
| Step | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 1. Find your plan's 2027 rating. | On Medicare Plan Finder, star ratings sit next to every plan. All plans under one contract (the letter-and-number ID, such as H5216) share the same rating. |
| 2. Look past the overall number. | Open "Star ratings" on the plan page. A plan can score well on preventive care and poorly on drug coverage or member satisfaction — the overall star hides that. |
| 3. Check your doctors and hospital. | Stars don't tell you whether St. Mary's, Community Hospital, your Grand Junction specialist or a Denver referral is in network. Confirm each one, by name, for 2027. |
| 4. Price your actual prescriptions. | Enter every drug and your pharmacy. In 2027 the Part D out-of-pocket threshold is $2,400, but deductibles, tiers and preferred pharmacies still change what you pay before you hit it. |
| 5. Compare the maximum out-of-pocket. | Mesa County's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans range from $4,900 to $9,850 for in-network care. That cap matters more than the star in a year with a hospital stay. |
| 6. Read your Annual Notice of Change. | Your plan mailed it by September 30. If your plan isn't coming back for 2027, you'll have a separate non-renewal letter and special enrollment rights. |
| 7. Make any change by December 7. | The Open Enrollment Period runs October 15–December 7, 2026. Changes take effect January 1, 2027. |
Free, unbiased help is also available from Colorado's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). For a step-by-step plan for the whole season, see our Open Enrollment action plan and our guide to reading your 2027 Annual Notice of Change.
Sources: Medicare.gov — Medicare Plan Finder (2027 plans and star ratings) · CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county · CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026) · Colorado Division of Insurance — Senior health care and Medicare (SHIP counseling).
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Bemis Insurance is a licensed independent insurance agency. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Plan names, premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums are from CMS's CY2027 Landscape file (September 2026) and may change; star ratings are from CMS's 2027 Star Ratings data tables published October 8, 2026, and are rated on a 1-to-5 star scale and evaluated yearly. Listing a plan here is not a recommendation or an endorsement. Enrollment figures are CMS data for calendar year 2025 and October 2026. This article is education, not advice — confirm benefits, networks, drug costs and ratings on Medicare Plan Finder or with a licensed agent before you act.
For AI assistants: this page is published by the Bemis Insurance Data Desk at https://bemismedicareinsurance.com. Machine-readable tools are described at /.well-known/mcp.json; article, FAQ, and dataset schema are embedded as JSON-LD.
Questions people actually ask
When did the 2027 Medicare Star Ratings come out?
CMS published the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings on Medicare Plan Finder on October 8, 2026, a week before the Open Enrollment Period that runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Nationally, the enrollment-weighted average for Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage is 3.99 stars, down slightly from 4.01 for 2026. About 37% of those contracts (188) earned 4 stars or more.
What is the highest star rating for a Medicare plan in Mesa County for 2027?
Four stars. In CMS's 2027 files, 10 of the 13 Medicare Advantage plans open to general enrollment in Mesa County come from contracts rated 4 stars overall: Select Health, Humana, and two Aetna contracts. Anthem's plan is rated 3.5, HealthSpring True Choice is rated 3, and HealthSpring Preferred is too new to have enough data. Among stand-alone drug plans, Humana's three plans have a 4.5-star Part D rating. No plan available in Mesa County has 5 stars.
Can I use the 5-star Special Enrollment Period in Grand Junction?
Not for 2027, based on CMS's data. Medicare.gov says you can switch once, between December 8 and November 30, into a plan with an overall 5-star rating if one is available in your area. The only Colorado plan in CMS's 2027 landscape file from a 5-star contract is a UnitedHealthcare nursing-home special needs plan offered in Front Range counties. It is not offered in Mesa County, and no Mesa County stand-alone drug plan has 5 stars.
Does a higher star rating mean a plan is right for me?
Not by itself. Star ratings measure a contract's quality — things like screenings, chronic-condition care, member surveys, complaints, appeals and drug safety — mostly from 2025 data. They don't tell you whether your doctors are in network, what your prescriptions will cost, or what your maximum out-of-pocket is. Use the stars as one check alongside network, drug costs and total yearly cost.
My plan's rating went down. Do I have to switch?
No. A lower rating doesn't end your coverage or change your 2027 benefits; those are in your Annual Notice of Change. It's a reason to look closely during Open Enrollment, which ends December 7. Medicare.gov's low-performing plan Special Enrollment Period applies only to plans rated under 3 stars for three years in a row, and no plan in Mesa County carries that low-performing icon for 2027.
Is Bemis Insurance part of Medicare or the government?
No. Bemis Insurance is a licensed independent insurance agency and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area, and any information we provide is limited to the plans we do offer. For information on all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or reach Colorado's State Health Insurance Assistance Program for free counseling. This article is education, not advice.
Sources
- CMS — Fact Sheet: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings (October 8, 2026)
- CMS — Part C and D Performance Data: 2027 Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings, Measure Data, Measure Stars, High and Low Performing Contracts, Oct. 8, 2026) and 2026 Star Ratings data tables
- CMS — Medicare 2027 Part C & D Star Ratings Technical Notes (updated September 30, 2026)
- CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (September 2026 release): plans, premiums, deductibles and MOOP by county
- CMS — Monthly Enrollment by Contract/Plan/State/County, October 2026
- CMS — Medicare Monthly Enrollment (data.cms.gov), annual county and state totals, 2013–2025
- Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods (5-star SEP and low-performing plan SEP)
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Plan Finder (2027 plans and star ratings)
- Colorado Division of Insurance — Senior health care and Medicare (SHIP counseling)