Latest CMS Star Ratings follow strong NCQA ratings across Medicare, Medicaid and commercial coverage

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) member companies have again earned leading marks for quality in Medicare, Medicaid and the commercial market.

Newly-released 2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as 2026 National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Plan Ratings highlight the strength of ACHP member plans' unique approach to coverage and care.

In the Medicare Advantage ratings, ACHP's member plans earned an average of 4.23 Stars, compared with 3.96 for non-ACHP carriers, and higher average ratings on nearly two-thirds of the 43 MA-PD measures evaluated. Member plans excelled on measures of care to manage cholesterol and diabetes, detect kidney problems early and reduce the risk of serious chronic disease and complications. More than 87 percent of enrollees in ACHP member contracts were in plans earning at least 4 Stars, compared with about 69 percent in non-ACHP plans.

Two ACHP members, Peak Health and Kaiser Permanente, earned CMS' highest rating of five stars for 2027. "We've never measured success by margins. We measure it by the experience our members have with their health plan," said Ben Gerber, CEO of Peak Health, based in West Virginia. "Earning five stars, as one of only 15 plans nationwide, shows what's possible when a plan and clinicians work hand-in-hand for the people we serve."

"Quality should be measured by what matters to patients: staying healthy, managing chronic conditions and getting the right follow-up after a hospital stay," said Alliance of Community Health Plans President and CEO Ceci Connolly. "Our member companies bring health plans and clinicians together around those priorities. These results show why that partnership deserves a central place in the conversation about better health care."

The CMS results follow a strong showing by ACHP members in the NCQA 2026 Health Plan Ratings, released in September. Five member companies – Fallon Health, Independent Health, Kaiser Permanente, Network Health and UPMC Health Plan – earned 13 of the nation's 18 five-star ratings.

ACHP members also earned higher average ratings across Medicare, Medicaid and commercial coverage, demonstrating the breadth of quality in ACHP's nonprofit, community-based, model.

• Commercial coverage: Five of the nine five-star contracts and an average rating of 4.18, compared with 3.45 for non-ACHP plans.
  
  
• Medicaid: All four five-star contracts and an average of 4.08, compared with 3.50 for non-ACHP plans.
  
  
• Medicare: Four of the five five-star contracts and an average rating of 3.96, compared with 3.35 for non-ACHP plans.

Member plans scored higher on 92% of commercial measures, 85% of Medicaid measures and 93% of Medicare measures analyzed. Areas of strength included prenatal care, diabetes eye exams and adult immunizations.

Thanks to ACHP's advocacy, federal policymakers have begun streamlining quality measures to put the greatest emphasis on the metrics that matter. ACHP also championed the introduction of Rep. Mike Kelly's MA STARS Act, which would modernize Star Ratings to better reflect meaningful differences in quality and patient experience.

"Patients and employers deserve clear evidence of quality when choosing coverage," Connolly said. "These ratings demonstrate the value of health plans rooted in the communities they serve. The MA Stars Act would build on that foundation by making ratings a clearer guide to quality and patient experience."

About ACHP

The Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) represents the nation's best local, nonprofit health plans, providing high-quality coverage to tens of millions of Americans in 40 states and D.C. ACHP is the only national organization advancing a unique partnership model of coverage and care that fosters a truly competitive market.

We believe Americans deserve the best health care in the world. Our members are on the ground in your communities, delivering innovative and competitive coverage. ACHP's model brings together clinicians and health plans to deliver value for patients, employers and taxpayers.

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SOURCE Alliance of Community Health Plans