Medicare Advantage

Medicare Star Ratings in Bellingham: what CMS measures each October

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — As Medicare's fall enrollment window opens, shoppers in Whatcom County are once again seeing "stars" next to plan names on Medicare.gov. Those ratings — refreshed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) each October — are meant to give people a plain-language look at how Medicare Advantage and Part D plans performed on things like customer service, member complaints, and preventive care. But the stars are widely misunderstood. They aren't a ranking of "best" plans, and a higher number of stars doesn't automatically mean a plan is the right fit for you.

Here's what the numbers actually measure, and how to use them during the Annual Enrollment Period, which runs October 15 through December 7.

What Star Ratings actually measure

CMS rates Medicare Advantage and Part D plans on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the highest. The score is built from dozens of individual measures grouped into broad categories, including:

• Staying healthy — whether members get recommended screenings, vaccines, and check-ups.
• Managing chronic conditions — how well plans support people with diabetes, heart disease, and similar conditions.
• Member experience — survey results on how members feel about their plan and care.
• Member complaints and plan performance — how often members leave, file grievances, or run into problems.
• Customer service — including how plans handle appeals and calls.

Part D drug plans are scored on related measures, such as accurate pricing information, medication safety, and how well members stay on important prescriptions.

Notice what isn't on that list: premiums, copays, and specific benefits. Star Ratings don't tell you whether a plan will cover your medications or include your doctor. Those details live on the plan's own documents.

When and where the ratings are published

CMS releases updated Star Ratings once a year, in the fall, ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period. The 2027 ratings are posted on the official plan finder at Medicare.gov, where you can see each plan's overall score alongside coverage details.

The timing is deliberate. It gives people a full window — October 15 to December 7 — to compare options before coverage begins January 1. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to change your mind, there's also the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31.

Why the stars aren't a ranking

It's tempting to treat Star Ratings like restaurant reviews and pick the plan with the most stars. But CMS built the system as a quality snapshot, not a shopping ranking. Two plans with the same star count can look very different once you compare drug lists, provider networks, and out-of-pocket costs. And a lower-rated plan can still be the correct choice for someone whose doctor is only in that network.

Use the stars the way you'd use a safety rating on a car: helpful background, but not the whole decision.

The Bellingham picture

Bellingham is in Whatcom County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D options. Plan availability and star scores are set at the county level, so a neighbor across the state line in Blaine may see different choices than a friend in Seattle. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder for your ZIP code.

Program-level facts worth knowing for 2027

While you're comparing plans, keep the broader program rules in mind:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026. Once your covered drug spending hits that limit, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly payments — no interest, no fees. It's optional.
• IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Where to get unbiased help

If Star Ratings and plan documents start to blur together, you don't have to sort it out alone.

• Medicare.gov — the official plan finder, with current star scores.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• SHIBA — Washington's Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors, the state's SHIP program, offers free one-on-one counseling for Bellingham-area residents. You can reach SHIBA through the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.