Medicare Advantage

How CMS Builds Medicare Star Ratings for Radcliff

RADCLIFF, Ky. — With the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period opening October 15 and running through December 7, star ratings are back in the spotlight for Hardin County residents comparing coverage. Every fall, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes updated Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans — and understanding what those stars actually measure can help you read plan information with a clearer eye.

Radcliff Seniors: What to Know About Star Ratings This Fall

This article won't rank plans or point you toward one. Instead, it explains what the ratings mean, when they come out, and how to use them as one piece of your decision.

What Star Ratings Actually Measure

CMS scores Medicare Advantage and Part D plans on a scale from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the highest. The ratings are not a marketing gimmick — they are based on dozens of measures pulled from member surveys, health records, pharmacy data, and CMS's own oversight.

For Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage, ratings look at areas like:

• Staying healthy: whether members get recommended screenings, tests, and vaccines.
• Managing chronic conditions: how well plans support people with diabetes, heart conditions, and other ongoing needs.
• Member experience: what enrollees say about customer service, getting appointments, and overall satisfaction.
• Member complaints and plan performance: how often people leave the plan, and how CMS rates day-to-day operations.
• Customer service: how the plan handles calls, appeals, and new-member questions.

Stand-alone Part D drug plans are rated on a shorter list focused on drug pricing accuracy, patient safety, and member experience.

When and Where Ratings Are Published

CMS releases the new Star Ratings each fall, typically in early to mid-October, just before the Annual Enrollment Period begins. Once posted, the ratings appear on the official Plan Finder tool at medicare.gov, where you can see each plan's overall score along with the category breakdowns.

The ratings reflect the plan year ahead. So the ratings released in October 2026 apply to plans offered for 2027 coverage — the same plans Radcliff residents will be comparing during this fall's enrollment window.

What Star Ratings Don't Tell You

Stars are useful, but they don't answer every question. A rating won't tell you:

• Whether your specific doctors or the hospitals you use in the Elizabethtown and Louisville area are in a plan's network.
• Whether the medications you take are on the plan's formulary.
• How a plan handles prior authorization for the services you actually need.
• Your personal out-of-pocket costs based on your health and prescriptions.

That's why CMS itself recommends using ratings alongside — not instead of — a careful look at benefits, networks, and drug lists.

Plan Availability in Hardin County

Radcliff sits in Hardin County, where Medicare plan choices are set at the county level. Each fall, the list of available Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in the county is refreshed, and some plans change, exit, or enter the market. That's another reason to review your coverage during AEP even if you're generally satisfied — the plan you have in 2026 may look different in 2027. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

Key Part D Numbers Worth Knowing

While you're reviewing plans, keep these program-level Part D figures in mind:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• Coverage gap ("donut hole"): eliminated as of 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional way to spread drug costs across the year in monthly payments.
• IRMAA surcharges: begin above $109,000 in income for single filers in 2026.

These apply program-wide, regardless of which plan you choose.

Important Dates

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. Add, drop, or switch Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.