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2027 Medicare Advantage 5 Star Plans - Compare Options

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) | Last updated October 8, 2026

A 5-star Medicare Advantage plan has Medicare’s highest quality rating, and if one is offered in your county you can switch into it once during the year using the five-star special enrollment period. Ratings are published each fall in Medicare Plan Finder.

Five-star plans are rare and depend on your county. Even a top-rated plan is only right for you if it covers your doctors and drugs at a cost you can afford.

See best 2027 Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Advantage plans 2027.

✔ Licensed across all 50 states
✔ Built on CMS 2027 data
✔ No-cost plan comparison

Key Highlights

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Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars.

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Five-star plans have a special enrollment period.

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New plans may not be rated.

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Stars do not measure your doctors and drugs.

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What Star Ratings Measure

Area Medicare Rates What It Tells You
Staying healthy Screenings, tests and vaccines
Managing chronic conditions Care for diabetes, heart disease and similar conditions
Member experience Survey results on getting care and service
Complaints and appeals Complaints, members leaving and how appeals are handled
Customer service Plan responsiveness and accuracy
Drug plan services Drug pricing accuracy and safety measures

How to Find 5-Star Plans

Step by Step

1

Open Medicare Plan Finder. Enter your ZIP code and drugs.

2

Sort or filter by star rating. Look for the overall plan rating.

3

Check the network. Confirm your doctors and hospitals.

4

Compare total yearly cost. Premium, copays, drugs and out-of-pocket maximum.

5

Read the Evidence of Coverage. Confirm the benefits you care about.

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The Five-Star Special Enrollment Period

Key Rules

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Lets you switch into a 5-star Medicare Advantage or drug plan once during the year

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Only works if a 5-star plan serves your area

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Moving from a Medicare Advantage plan with drugs to one without drugs can leave you without drug coverage

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Ask the plan or your SHIP to confirm timing

Example: Arizona’s AZ Blue Medicare Advantage plans earned a 4.5-star rating for 2026, a strong rating, but 4.5 stars does not trigger the five-star special enrollment period.

How Medicare Advantage Works

Medicare Advantage, sometimes called Part C, lets you receive your Medicare benefits through a Medicare-approved private insurer. These plans cover everything Original Medicare Part A and Part B cover, with the exception of hospice care, which Original Medicare continues to pay for. Most also bundle Part D drug coverage, and many may tack on extras like routine dental, vision and hearing benefits.

The trade-off is that Medicare Advantage plans generally rely on doctor and hospital networks and may call for referrals or prior authorization for certain services. Each Medicare Advantage plan sets a yearly out-of-pocket maximum for covered medical care, something Original Medicare lacks. You still pay your Part B premium, along with the plan’s premium if there is one.

Feature HMO PPO
Out-of-network care Not covered except emergencies and urgent care Covered at a higher cost
Referrals for specialists Usually required Usually not required
Premiums Usually lower Usually higher
Out-of-pocket maximum In-network limit In-network limit plus a higher combined limit
Best for Lower costs, local care Flexibility, travel, keeping specific doctors

Star Ratings

Each fall, Medicare gives every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan a rating of 1 to 5 stars, based on factors such as preventive care, how well chronic conditions are managed, member complaints, customer service and accuracy of drug pricing. You can see the ratings in Medicare Plan Finder.

Using Star Ratings

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Ratings of 4 stars or more are generally a good indicator of quality and service

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A special enrollment period lets you move into a five-star plan once during the year

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A new plan may not have a rating yet, and that alone isn’t a bad sign

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Ratings reflect the plan as a whole, not how well it covers your particular doctors and drugs

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If Your Plan Is Ending

A non-renewal notice should have reached you in early October if your plan won’t be available in your county for 2027. Coverage doesn’t end immediately; it runs through December 31, 2026, which gives you time to decide.

If Your Plan Is Ending

1

Review your non-renewal letter. It verifies that your plan is ending and lays out your choices.

2

Write down your doctors and drugs. Comparing replacement plans requires them.

3

Compare your 2027 plan choices. Look at networks, drug coverage and the out-of-pocket maximum, not only the premium.

4

Pick a plan by December 31 to avoid a gap. If you enroll during Annual Enrollment by December 7, your coverage starts January 1, 2027.

5

Rely on your Special Enrollment Period if necessary. If your plan is ending, you generally have until the end of February 2027 to make a choice.

If you take no action: on January 1, 2027, you go back to Original Medicare, and you will have no drug coverage unless you pick a Part D plan. Being without drug coverage may result in a late enrollment penalty.

Medigap rights: if your Medicare Advantage plan exits your area, you generally get a guaranteed issue right, lasting up to 63 days after your coverage ends, to purchase certain Medicare Supplement plans with no health questions.

How to Compare

How to Compare

1

Review your Annual Notice of Change. It spells out every 2027 change to the plan you have now.

2

Verify your doctors and hospitals. Make sure every provider is in the 2027 network, not only the 2026 network.

3

Review your prescriptions. Verify every drug, the tier it falls on and any step therapy or prior authorization rules.

4

Look at the full annual cost. Total up the premium, usual copays and drug costs, and review the out-of-pocket maximum.

5

Look at star ratings. Medicare scores plans on quality and service using a 1 to 5 star scale.

6

Sign up by December 7. Coverage under your new plan begins January 1, 2027.

Enrollment Periods

Enrollment Period Dates What You Can Do
Annual Enrollment Period October 15 to December 7, 2026 Join, change or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan effective January 1, 2027
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment January 1 to March 31, 2027 In Medicare Advantage, you can change to another plan or go back to Original Medicare one time
Initial Enrollment Period 7 months around your 65th birthday month Sign up for Medicare and choose your first plan
Special Enrollment Periods Varies Switch plans after events such as a move, a loss of other coverage or your plan exiting your area

Annual Enrollment is when most people make changes. If you like your current plan, no action is needed; it renews on its own. Even so, review your Annual Notice of Change, since networks, premiums, copays and drug lists can all change on January 1.

Reading Your Annual Notice of Change

Check Every Line

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Your 2027 premium and deductible

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Doctor, specialist and hospital stay copays

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The out-of-pocket maximum

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Updates to your formulary, drug tiers and coverage rules

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Whether your doctors, hospitals and pharmacy stay in network

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Updates to dental, vision, hearing and other extras

The Annual Notice of Change must reach members by September 30. It is the most useful single document you receive each fall, since it spells out exactly how your plan will change on January 1.

Special Enrollment Periods

Outside of the fall and early-year windows, changing plans generally requires a Special Enrollment Period. Typical reasons include:

You May Qualify If

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Your plan is leaving your area or ending

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You move outside your plan’s service area

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You lose employer or union coverage

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Your Medicaid status changes, or you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program or Extra Help

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You want to join a 5-star plan, once a year

Every Special Enrollment Period has a separate time limit, so move as soon as the event occurs.

Prior Authorization and Referrals

Prior authorization is required by most Medicare Advantage plans for certain services, including some surgeries, advanced imaging, skilled nursing stays and some drugs. While your doctor usually submits the request, ask whether a scheduled service needs approval so you are not caught off guard by a denial.

You or your doctor can appeal a denied request. Medicare rules give plans deadlines for decisions, and those deadlines are shorter when a wait could seriously harm your health.

Emergency, Urgent and Out-of-Area Care

Emergency and urgent care are covered by every Medicare Advantage plan anywhere in the U.S., whether in or out of network, and an emergency does not require prior approval. Routine care while traveling is different: HMOs generally do not cover it, and PPOs cover out-of-network care at a higher cost.

If you’re away from home for months each year, ask every plan how it covers care where you stay. This is among the most frequent reasons people change plans partway through the year.

Getting Help

You do not need to compare plans by yourself, and help should not cost you anything. Here are the free options:

Free Help Comparing Plans

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Available any time: Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov

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1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), reachable 24 hours a day on all seven days of the week

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Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free, unbiased counseling

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A licensed agent or insurance broker, who can compare plans across several insurers for free

Gather your Medicare card, a list of your drugs and doses, your doctors and your preferred pharmacies before you call. That way a long conversation becomes a quick one.

Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

A 5-star rating is a strong sign of quality, but check the network, drugs and total cost before switching. Compare during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

➤ What is a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan?

It is a plan that earned Medicare’s highest overall quality rating. Medicare rates plans from 1 to 5 stars each fall based on preventive care, chronic condition management, member experience, complaints, customer service and drug plan measures.

➤ Are there 5-star plans in my area for 2027?

Possibly, but five-star plans are uncommon and depend on your county. Enter your ZIP code in Medicare Plan Finder and check the overall star rating of each plan to see whether any 5-star plans serve you.

➤ What is the five-star special enrollment period?

It lets you switch into a 5-star Medicare Advantage or drug plan once during the year, outside Annual Enrollment. It only works if a 5-star plan serves your area, so confirm the timing with the plan or your SHIP.

➤ Is a 5-star plan always the best choice?

No. A 5-star rating measures the plan’s overall quality, not whether it covers your doctors and drugs. A 4-star plan that covers your providers at a lower total cost can be the better choice for you.

➤ When are 2027 star ratings published?

Medicare publishes star ratings each fall, and they appear in Medicare Plan Finder alongside plan details. Check the current ratings during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, before you choose a plan. Ratings can change from year to year.

➤ Why does a plan have no star rating?

Plans that are new or too small may not have enough data to be rated yet. A missing rating is not a bad sign by itself, but you should weigh the network, drug coverage and total cost more carefully.

➤ Is 4.5 stars good?

Yes, 4.5 stars is a strong rating. Arizona’s AZ Blue Medicare Advantage plans earned 4.5 stars for 2026, for example. Plans rated 4 stars or higher generally show good quality, but only 5-star plans trigger the special enrollment period.

➤ Can a star rating change my plan’s benefits?

Not directly. Ratings measure quality and service, while benefits are set each year in the plan’s bid. Read your Annual Notice of Change to see exactly what changes in your plan for 2027, and compare it with other plans in your county.

➤ Do 5-star plans cost more?

Not necessarily. Some highly rated plans have low premiums, and the national average 2027 premium is $12 a month. Compare the premium, copays, drug costs and out-of-pocket maximum, not the rating alone before you switch.

➤ Where can I get free help comparing rated plans?

Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased counseling. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE, use Medicare Plan Finder or ask a licensed broker to compare top-rated plans in your county. Bring your drug list and doctors to any appointment.

Have Questions?

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938

TTY users 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

Find & Compare Plans Online

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

ZRN Health & Financial Services, LLC, a Texas limited liability company

( Medicare Expert )

Russell Noga is the CEO of ZRN Health & Financial Services, and head content editor of several Medicare insurance online publications. He has over 15 years of experience as a licensed Medicare insurance broker helping Medicare beneficiaries learn about Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medigap insurance, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

CompareMedicareAdvantagePlans.org
215 RR 620 South Austin, TX 78734

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