Jenn Kerfoot wraps up 2025 with an unfiltered look at what really happened in Medicare Advantage this year—and what's coming in 2026 that should have your attention.

This year stripped the varnish off MA. With 2 million+ members scrambling to find new plans after carrier exits, star ratings becoming balance sheet emergencies, and the proposed 2027 rule threatening to drop most plans by a full star, "good enough" isn't cutting it anymore.

In this episode, Jenn breaks down:

→ Why AEP 2025 was unlike anything we've seen (7% of MA beneficiaries needed new plans vs. the typical 2%)

→ The proposed 2027 rule changes: Health Equity Index reverting to Reward Factor, administrative measures on the chopping block, and what the industry mapping actually shows

→ Her honest take on CAHPS, triple-weighted measures, and why member experience remains a leading indicator

→ What to do if you feel like your health equity work was "wasted" (spoiler: reframe how you're thinking about it)

→ Why AI won't save us—and what actually will

Plus: Jenn gets real about balance, burnout, and why this work is hard. Because sometimes you just need someone to say it out loud.

🎧 Stars Unscripted is produced by Press Ganey.

Stars Unscripted | Plan Preview 2 Deep Dive with Nate Lucena & Reva Sheehan

In this episode of Stars Unscripted, host Jenn Kerfoot is joined by Nate Lucena (President & Managing Director at Rex Wallace Consulting) and Reva Sheehan (SVP of Health Solutions at Duos) for a timely breakdown of Plan Preview 2 and what it means for Medicare Advantage Star Ratings in 2026.

They explore:

The difference between Plan Preview 1 and Plan Preview 2 and why Preview 2 is the "dress rehearsal" for final ratings.

How cut points shape performance outcomes and what health plans must watch closely.

Real-world stories of surprises, challenges, and last-minute saves during preview season.

Strategic insights on leveraging Preview 2 results to drive improvement, avoid pitfalls, and prepare for October’s final release.

Leadership lessons on cross-functional accountability, data rigor, and turning setbacks into opportunities.

👉 Whether you’re on a Stars team, a senior leader, or a solutions partner, this episode provides practical advice and insider perspectives to help navigate one of the most critical times of the year for Medicare Advantage organizations.

Join host Jenn Kerfoot as she breaks down HR1 - the "One Big Beautiful Bill" that just passed by the narrowest margin and could strip healthcare from 18 million Americans.
What's really in this bill:

$860 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years
Work requirements that cost more than they save
$35 copays that force impossible choices
10-16 million people losing coverage

The brutal math:
Medicaid covers 1 in 5 Americans, costs 22% less than private insurance, and keeps rural hospitals alive. So why are we trying to break what actually works?
From the supervisor who had to refuse a raise to keep her healthcare, to 1.8 million veterans on Medicaid, to rural communities facing hospital closures - this isn't policy, it's cruelty dressed up as economics.
"You cannot build a great nation on an empty stomach."
No spin. Just the truth about what happens when we mistake budget cuts for leadership.
#Medicaid #HealthcareReform #HR1 #PolicyAnalysis #Healthcare