Medicare Advantage

Medicare Star Ratings in Gary: what October scores show

GARY, Ind. — With the fall Medicare enrollment window opening October 15, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has once again published its annual Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. The scores land every October for a reason: they give people in places like Gary a fresh look at how plans performed before the Annual Enrollment Period begins.

Star Ratings aren't a shopping shortcut, and they aren't a ranking of which plan is "best." They're a snapshot of quality measures — things like customer service, member complaints, and how well plans manage chronic conditions. Here's what to know before you start comparing.

What Star Ratings actually measure

Medicare Star Ratings are quality scores CMS assigns to Medicare Advantage (Part C) and standalone Part D drug plans. Plans are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the highest.

The scores pull from about 40 different measures, grouped into categories like:

• Staying healthy — screenings, tests, and preventive visits members received.
• Managing chronic conditions — how well plans support members with long-term health issues.
• Member experience — survey results about satisfaction and ease of care.
• Member complaints and plan performance — how often members left the plan or filed grievances.
• Customer service — call center performance and appeals handling.
• Drug safety and pricing accuracy (for Part D) — how carefully plans manage medications.

Star Ratings are not a ranking. Two plans with the same star count can look very different once you check the doctor network, the drug list, and the total out-of-pocket picture.

Why the fall release matters

CMS publishes new Star Ratings in October each year, timed so shoppers can see them before AEP begins October 15. The ratings you see this fall reflect performance data from the prior measurement period.

This is also the moment when the rest of the program facts for the coming year come into focus. A few worth keeping on your radar:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The coverage gap — the old "donut hole" — has been eliminated since 2025, leaving three payment phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year instead of paying big lumps at the pharmacy.
• IRMAA income surcharges begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

How to use Star Ratings without misusing them

Ratings are useful context, not a verdict. A few honest ways to work with them:

1. Look at the categories, not just the total. If prescription drug safety matters most to you, look at that measure specifically. 2. Check the year the rating covers. Plan performance can shift year to year. 3. Combine ratings with what you personally need — your prescriptions, your preferred hospitals, and how often you travel. 4. Don't stop at the stars. Two plans with matching stars may cover different drugs at different tiers.

CMS also flags plans that consistently score very low. If a plan has received fewer than 3 stars for three years in a row, CMS marks it with a warning icon on Medicare Plan Finder.

What's available around Gary

Gary is in Lake County, and Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability is set at the county level. That means every Gary resident sees the same menu of plans as neighbors elsewhere in Lake County. When you use Plan Finder at medicare.gov, entering your ZIP code will pull the county-level list along with each plan's current Star Rating.

Enrollment dates to circle

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Coverage starts January 1.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another one or return to Original Medicare.

If you miss AEP, you generally cannot change plans until the next window unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.