Aetna says 69% of its Medicare Advantage members are in 2027 plans rated 4 stars or higher by CMS

Aetna, the Medicare Advantage insurer within CVS Health, said it expects a majority of its Medicare Advantage (MA) members to be in 2027 plans that receive strong performance scores under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ annual Star Ratings. In a statement carried by Yahoo Finance, Aetna said more than 69% of its MA members are in 2027 plans rated 4 stars or higher on a five-star scale, with the company linking the result to “clinical quality” and “member experience.”

The CMS Star Ratings are a widely watched yardstick for MA plans. The program scores plans on multiple measures tied to healthcare outcomes and patient experience, then assigns an overall rating from 1 to 5 stars for the upcoming year. Higher-rated plans can qualify for greater bonus payments under federal rules, and the ratings also influence how consumers compare plans during open enrollment.

Aetna positioned its 2027 results as evidence that its approach is translating into measurable quality and service. The company’s framing emphasizes two themes that are closely aligned with how Star Ratings are constructed: the quality of care delivered and the experience members report when they seek services, coordinate coverage, or interact with the plan.

The announcement does not, in the excerpt available here, break out the distribution of ratings by star level, disclose which specific performance categories contributed most, or provide historical year-over-year comparisons. It also does not specify the total number of Aetna MA members covered by the 2027 rated plans, beyond the share figure it reported.

Aetna is required to participate in the MA program as it competes for Medicare enrollment. For insurers, the annual ratings matter because they can affect both the economics of the business and the competitive perception of plan quality. Within CVS Health, Aetna is one of the company’s central healthcare platforms, and MA membership is an important driver of how the health insurance segment performs throughout the year.

The timing of CMS Star Ratings also shapes operational decisions for insurers. After ratings are released, plans typically adjust outreach, provider engagement, and member support processes intended to address the measures that pull down scores. Aetna’s emphasis on clinical quality and member experience suggests it is aiming to sustain or improve factors CMS evaluates, rather than focusing only on administrative compliance.

Even with a strong headline share, the ultimate impact depends on how CMS finalizes payments and on how other parts of an insurer’s portfolio perform. The post does not provide further details on contract-level economics, risk adjustment trends, or the size and mix of Aetna’s Medicare Advantage product offerings within those rated plans.

What to watch next is whether Aetna and CVS Health expand on the underlying drivers behind the 2027 ratings in more complete disclosures, such as which categories improved, how the company’s ratings compare to prior years, and what specific member or clinical programs are tied to the performance. Insurers often provide more granular color around Star Rating outcomes after the initial announcement, particularly in investor materials and earnings communications.