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How CMS calculates the Hospital Quality Star Ratings
For this year's ratings, CMS analyzed 52 hospital quality measures across five different groups:
- Mortality (22%)
- Safety of care (22%)
- Readmission (22%)
- Patient experience (22%)
- Timely and effective care (12%)
All percentage weights are out of 100%. If a hospital had no measures in a certain measure group, the weighted percentage was redistributed proportionally across the other measure groups. Depending on the measure, CMS used hospital data collected from July 2021 to March 2025 for its latest rankings.
CMS did not add or remove any measures for the latest Hospital Quality Star Ratings.
How hospitals performed
This year, roughly 70% of hospitals received a Star Rating. Overall, 312 more hospitals received a rating in 2026 (3,203) compared to 2025 (2,891). The increase in the number of overall Star Ratings was due to 350 hospitals newly meeting criteria for a rating. An additional 38 hospitals also no longer met the criteria for a Star Rating.
Of the 3,203 hospitals that received a rating:
- 385 received a five-star rating (12%)
- 953 received a four-star rating (29.8%)
- 991 received a three-star rating (30.9%)
- 670 received a two-star rating (20.9%)
- 204 received a one-star rating (6.4%)
"Five-star quality and constant improvement take teamwork and focus," said Krista Lopes, VP of quality and patient safety at Sutter Health, which had six hospitals receive a five-star rating. "From the bedside to behind the scenes, our teams are reducing variation and strengthening safety every day."
Related resources
- Quick guide: Medicare Advantage Star Ratings 101
- Research: 4 ways to boost your Medicare Advantage Star Ratings
- Ready-to-use resource: Medicare Market Explorer
- Expert insight: 3 data-driven insights on Medicare Advantage Star Ratings
- Research: 4 dynamics of long-term sustainability in Medicare Advantage
- Radio Advisory episode: A Medicare Advantage reset — and what comes next
- Ready-to-use slides: Market outlook for Medicare Advantage
How ratings have changed over time
This year, 94 more hospitals received a five-star rating (385 in 2026 vs. 291 in 2025). Meanwhile, there was a slight decrease in the number of hospitals with one-star ratings (204 in 2026 vs. 233 in 2025).
Although there has been a downward trend in hospitals receiving five-star ratings over the last few years, this was the first increase in the number of five-star rated hospitals since 2023.
Of the 2,853 hospitals that received a rating in 2025 and 2026, 1,526 (53%) kept the same rating while 814 (29%) increased their rating by one or more stars, and 513 (18%) decreased their rating by one or more stars.
(CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, accessed 5/14; CMS Frequently Asked Questions (April 2026), accessed 5/14; CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings: April 2026 Refresh, accessed 5/14; Sutter Health, 5/13; Taylor, Becker's Hospital Review, 5/13; Twenter, Becker's Hospital Review, 5/13)
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