UnitedHealth's 752,808-member Texas plan kept its 4 stars by 0.021 of a point

UnitedHealth's 752,808-member Texas plan kept its 4 stars by 0.021 of a point.

UnitedHealth said this morning that at least 69% of its Medicare Advantage members are in 4-star plans for 2027. That is the line that pays the quality bonus.

The Texas plan, H0609, is one of them. It fell from 4.5 stars to 4.0. Before rounding it scored 3.771, and CMS rounds 3.75 up to 4.

Look at its measures against their cut points. Blood pressure control scored 90, right on the 5-star cut of 90. Diabetes drug adherence scored 91, right on the 4-star cut of 91. One star lower on either and the plan drops to 3.5, out of the bonus.

It is not alone. 2.9 million UnitedHealth members are in 4-star plans that cleared the line by less than a tenth of a point.

Our Star Risk model, tested on years it never saw, gives this plan a better than even chance of landing below 4 stars next year.

If you run a plan near the line, your 4 stars are a rounding, not a cushion.