Medicare Advantage Star Ratings

Centene sued HHS and CMS over its 2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings, seeking an estimated $448 million tied to ratings methodology rules that courts have already rejected, escalating payer challenges to how CMS converts quality scores into MA bonus payments and plan economics (Modern Healthcare; Insurance Business). The dispute lands as Humana and UnitedHealthcare are cutting MA offerings affecting nearly 1 million beneficiaries, reinforcing that Star Ratings, benefit design, and margin pressure are now directly reshaping network strategy, care management investments, and VBC contracting assumptions for providers and ACO-aligned groups.