Meyers and colleagues report on a study that used simulated star ratings to assess the quality of Medicare Advantage health plans for enrollees with different social risk factors. They found that simulated star ratings for Black and Hispanic enrollees were lower than those for White enrollees, and that contracts with a higher proportion of enrollees with low SES had lower simulated star ratings. The authors suggest that quality measurement and payment programs may be contributing to health disparities, and propose a four-part approach to aligning measurement, reporting, and payment with equity goals. The components of the approach address different aspects of the problem, and their complementary effects may offset limitations of each component alone.
