2027 Medicare Star Ratings in Florida: Beyond the Five-Star Label

When you see a Medicare plan advertising five stars, it sounds reassuring. But what does that rating actually tell you? And does a higher rating mean the plan will work better for your doctors, prescriptions, and budget?

At Mere Benefits, we help Florida Medicare beneficiaries connect the ratings to the decisions that affect their everyday care. A quality score is useful information. Choosing coverage requires a closer look at your personal needs.

Here is what to know about 2027 Medicare star ratings in Florida, including which contracts earned five stars and how other carriers compare.

What are Medicare star ratings?

Medicare uses a five-star system to evaluate the quality and performance of Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug coverage.

Ratings may also include half-star levels, such as 3.5 or 4.5 stars.

The ratings consider factors such as preventive care, management of chronic conditions, member experiences, customer service, complaints, and medication use. They combine several measures rather than relying only on customer reviews.

What do the 2027 ratings show?

CMS released the 2027 ratings on October 8, 2026. Nationwide, 15 Medicare Advantage contracts with prescription drug coverage earned five stars.

Approximately 71% of current Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan enrollees are in contracts receiving four stars or higher for 2027. That is a national enrollment statistic, rather than a percentage of Florida plans.

Are there five-star Medicare plans in Florida for 2027?

Yes. Three contracts with Florida plan offerings earned five-star overall ratings:

The ratings come from CMS’s October 8 release. Florida availability and institutional plan classifications were checked against CMS’s 2027 plan landscape file.

Five stars does not mean everyone can enroll

Leon Health’s Florida service area is Miami-Dade County. Longevity and the Florida UnitedHealthcare options under H0710 are institutional special-needs plans, which have additional eligibility requirements.

How do other Florida Medicare Advantage carriers compare?

The table below shows 2027 overall ratings for rated Medicare Advantage contracts with Florida offerings. It includes multiple contracts where a carrier’s ratings differ.

Source: CMS 2027 Summary Ratings, matched by contract number to Florida offerings in the 2027 landscape file. These are contract ratings, not statewide ratings for an entire company. Availability varies by county, and some plans have special eligibility requirements.

What about standalone Medicare Part D plans?

If you have Original Medicare and a separate prescription drug plan, compare the Part D rating rather than a Medicare Advantage overall rating.

These standalone drug contracts have Florida offerings. No standalone Part D contract nationally earned five stars for 2027.

The rating is one consideration. Your medications, pharmacy, and estimated annual prescription costs can make a substantial difference.

What matters besides the star rating?

Before choosing coverage, ask:

• Are my doctors and hospitals in the specific plan’s network?
• Are my prescriptions covered, and what will they cost at my pharmacy?
• What are the premiums, deductibles, copayments, and medical out-of-pocket maximum?
• Will I need referrals or prior authorization for care?
• How does the plan cover routine care when I travel outside Florida?
• Do I meet any special-needs eligibility requirements?

Networks and access rules differ across Medicare Advantage plan types.

Want to look up a specific plan rather than read a table? Our step-by-step guide to checking a plan’s 2027 star rating on Medicare Plan Finder walks through it, including what to do if your current plan’s rating has dropped.

Why working with Mere Benefits makes a difference

A table can show you the stars. A personal conversation helps you understand what the coverage would mean for you.

I am Kate Spilsbury, founder of Mere Benefits, a Jacksonville-based independent insurance agency. As a Certified Medicare Insurance Planner® and Registered Social Security Analyst®, I focus on explaining options clearly so you can make an informed decision. Meet Kate and the Mere Benefits team.

When you work with our team, we help you:

• Compare available options around your doctors, medications, and budget
• Understand the differences between Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement insurance, and Part D
• Review enrollment timing and relevant eligibility requirements
• Identify tradeoffs that a premium, star rating, or benefits advertisement may not explain

Our Medicare guidance is available at no cost to you, with no pressure to enroll.

Our relationship also continues after enrollment. The Mere Benefits support team, the MereCare team, helps clients with questions and paperwork, giving you people to turn to as you use your coverage.

Whether you live in Jacksonville, elsewhere on the First Coast, or another part of Florida, our goal is to help you understand your choices and feel prepared to use your benefits.

Can you enroll in a five-star plan outside Open Enrollment?

Medicare offers a Five-Star Special Enrollment Period when an eligible five-star plan is available in your service area.

For the 2027 plan year, the window runs from December 8, 2026, through November 30, 2027, and can generally be used once during that period. You must meet the plan’s enrollment requirements.

Get a personal Medicare review for 2027

Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage beginning January 1, 2027.

Before changing plans, or deciding to keep your current coverage, bring your doctors, medication list, and questions to our team.

Call (904) 654-5450 or get in touch with Mere Benefits. We will help you understand the ratings, compare your options, and focus on coverage that fits your life.

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a five-star rating system. Ratings, benefits, networks, and availability can change. Star ratings in this article are drawn from the CMS 2027 Summary Ratings released October 8, 2026, and matched by contract number to the 2027 plan landscape file; see CMS Part C and D performance data for the source tables. Mere Benefits and its agents are not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.