CMS Signals Interest in Building More Social Risk Focused Measures on STAR Ratings
March 2022
CMS included in their advance notice for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D STAR rating measure concepts and methodological enhancements that signal CMS interest in bringing health-related social risks into an accountability framework.
Medicare STAR ratings were created to provide Medicare beneficiaries and their families with publicly reported plan performance and a framework for government payments to those health plans. The less traditional and novel concepts focus on developing a Health Equity Index that could translate social risk factors at measure level into an overall score for the contract and measuring how well plans are screening for social needs. This would include food, housing, transportation and social support, all known factors to impact health. While just concepts, CMS seeks input on these ideas and will be worth following.