Medicare Advantage

Medicare Star Ratings: A Fall Update for Gillette

GILLETTE, Wyo. — As the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period approaches on October 15, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is preparing to release its yearly update to the Medicare Star Ratings. For people in Gillette weighing their options this fall, understanding what those stars actually mean — and what they don't — can make the next few weeks a lot less stressful.

What Star Ratings Actually Measure

Star Ratings are a quality snapshot CMS publishes each fall for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. Plans are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the highest.

The ratings pull from dozens of measures grouped into a few broad areas:

• Staying healthy — things like screenings, vaccines, and preventive visits.
• Managing chronic conditions — how well plans support members with ongoing health needs.
• Member experience — survey feedback on customer service, ease of getting care, and overall satisfaction.
• Member complaints and changes in performance — including how often people leave the plan.
• Customer service — including call center responsiveness and appeals handling.

For Part D drug coverage, ratings also look at drug pricing accuracy, medication safety, and how well the plan helps members stay on their prescribed medicines.

When the 2027 Ratings Come Out

CMS traditionally posts the updated Star Ratings in early October, ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period that runs October 15 through December 7. The ratings appear on the official Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov, right next to each plan's other details.

That timing is deliberate — CMS wants shoppers to have current quality information before they enroll or switch plans for the coming year.

What Star Ratings Are Not

This is where a lot of confusion comes in. A Star Rating is not a personal recommendation. It doesn't tell you whether a plan covers your medications, includes your doctor, or fits your budget. Two people looking at the same 4-star plan can have very different experiences depending on their prescriptions, providers, and health needs.

Star Ratings are one data point — a helpful one — but they sit alongside other factors like network, formulary, and total out-of-pocket costs.

Why This Fall Feels Different

The 2027 plan year brings some meaningful program changes that make quality measures more relevant than usual:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• The Part D deductible maximum is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The old coverage gap (the "donut hole") was eliminated in 2025, leaving three simpler phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets enrollees spread drug costs evenly across the year instead of paying big amounts up front at the pharmacy.
• IRMAA surcharges for higher-income beneficiaries begin above $109,000 for single filers in 2026.

With drug costs capped and the payment structure simpler, service quality — how a plan handles claims, appeals, and customer questions — matters more than ever. That's exactly what Star Ratings try to measure.

How to Use the Ratings in Gillette

Gillette is in Campbell County, where Medicare Advantage and Part D options are set at the county level. When you use the Plan Finder at Medicare.gov, you'll enter your ZIP code and see each available plan's current Star Rating listed right in the results.

A practical approach: build your short list based on whether a plan covers your prescriptions and preferred doctors first, then use Star Ratings as a tiebreaker or a check on quality. If you're comparing two plans that look similar on paper, the ratings can offer useful context on how each one actually serves its members.

Where to Get Personalized Help

Star Ratings are public and free — but the choice that's right for you is personal. In Wyoming, the State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) offers free, unbiased counseling to Medicare beneficiaries. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) any time, 24/7, or work through the plan comparison tool on Medicare.gov.