CMS delays star ratings for HealthCare.gov plans

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an announcement that it will further delay the star rating system intended to help patients make decisions when they shop for insurance on HealthCare.gov.

CMS planned to introduce the quality rating system in the federal insurance marketplace this fall for 2017, the fourth open enrollment is set for Nov. 1, 2016, to Jan. 31, 2017. With the delay they now intend to introduce the ratings by the time the fifth enrollment opens on Nov. 1, 2017.

The ranking system will include marks on access to care, how well doctors coordinate with enrollees and other doctors, whether the plan's network providers deliver care that achieves the best results, and how other enrollees rate their doctors and the care they receive.

Using the delay as a time to conduct further preliminary tests, the CMS will start evaluating the pilot launch taking place in some states, including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

CMS announced at the beginning of the year that it planned to implement a star rating system to measure quality of healthcare of hospitals in the fall of 2016, and even with a study examining the star rating system and finding it lead to a lower risk of mortality and lower rate of admissions the system has been meet with skepticism. The rating system was also recently announced to be further delayed.