Cut through the noise, find the signal: Intelligence for serious healthcare leaders
How CMS grades MA plans, what each measure is worth, and where the money moves.
Major inflection points: 2022 (COVID methodology changes, HOS measures removed), 2024 (Tukey outliers), 2026 (CAHPS/Access weight reduction 4→2).
Click a measure name to see its definition and details.
| Measure | Cat. | Measure weight by year | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | ||
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Outcome | 3 | 1* | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Outcome | 3 | 1* | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | — | — | — | — | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
| Process | 1* | D | D | D | D | D | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
| Process | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | — | — | — | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Int. Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Process | 1 | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | — | — | — | — | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Int. Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1* | — | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | R | 1 | 1 | |
| Access | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | R | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Improvement | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Access | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Access | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Access | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Formative years before the weight system fully stabilized in 2013. By 2013, the 5/3/4/1 weight hierarchy was firmly established.
Click a measure name to see its definition and details.
| Measure | Cat. | Measure weight by year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 09 | 08 | ||
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Int. Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1* | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Access | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | — | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Improvement | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |
| Access | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Access | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Access | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
Part D measures were the FIRST star rating measures (2007). The three medication adherence measures added in 2012 at weight 3 became the most impactful cluster of measures for a decade.
Click a measure name to see its definition and details.
| Measure | Cat. | Measure weight by year | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 09 | 08 | 07 | ||
| Access | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Improvement | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| CAHPS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Int. Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Int. Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Int. Outcome | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1* | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Process | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Access | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | R | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Process | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Process | 1* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |