Goodsurance

Enrollment & timing

Fewer Medicare Advantage Plans Earned Five Stars for 2027, Shrinking the Year-Round Switching Window

Only 15 plans earned an overall five-star rating for 2027, down from 22 a year ago, meaning fewer beneficiaries will have access to the five-star Special Enrollment Period that lets them change plans outside of October open enrollment.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamOctober 12, 2026

When CMS published the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D star ratings on October 8, it also determined which plans trigger a lesser-known enrollment right. Federal rules allow beneficiaries to switch from their current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan to any five-star plan available in their county at any point from December 8 through November 30 of the plan year. The five-star Special Enrollment Period can be used once per plan year and is entirely separate from the standard October 15 to December 7 open enrollment window.

For 2027, the pool of qualifying plans narrowed considerably. CMS reports that 15 Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts earned a five-star overall rating, down from 22 in 2026 and representing about 2.95 percent of all rated contracts.

Only 15 Medicare Advantage plans earned five stars for 2027, down from 22 last year, limiting who can use the year-round switching option.

Because plan availability is county-specific, some beneficiaries will live in areas where no five-star plan is offered in 2027, making the Special Enrollment Period unusable for them regardless of their individual circumstances. Beneficiaries in counties where a qualifying plan is available can use the period to switch without waiting for the next annual open enrollment.

CMS has marked qualifying plans with a high-performing icon in the Medicare Plan Finder tool at medicare.gov, which opened for 2027 comparison shopping on October 1. The standard open enrollment period begins October 15 and runs through December 7.

In plain words

Medicare grades Advantage plans on quality each year. Plans that earn the top grade, five stars, unlock a special rule. You can switch to a five-star plan in your area at any time of year, not just during the regular fall sign-up window. That window opens December 8 each year. For 2027, only 15 plans earned five stars. That is down from 22 last year. If no five-star plan is offered in your county, you cannot use this rule. If one is, you can use it once between December 8, 2026 and November 30, 2027. You can check which plans are near you at medicare.gov.

Understand the basics first

Source: CMS
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