News•Apr 7, 2026
The CY 2027 Final Rule Is Out. What Changed, What's New, and Why It Matters If You Sell to Health...
CMS released the Contract Year 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D final rule, rolling back four health‑equity requirements, removing 11 of 12 STAR measures and adding a depression‑screening metric, and inserting supplemental‑benefit provisions from the prior year’s proposal. The agency also deregulated agent and broker rules while tightening transparency for special supplemental benefits and requiring real‑time point‑of‑sale verification for debit cards. These changes reshape vendor value propositions, shift budget allocations, and increase enforcement focus despite fewer reporting mandates. Vendors must pivot from compliance‑driven pitches to ROI‑focused arguments as plans adjust to new quality and operational expectations.