Why Clover v. HHS Matters Even If You're Not in Stars

On May 27, a federal judge in Georgia threw out 20 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings measures from Clover Health's 2026 rating and ordered CMS to recalculate. The order is narrow. The reasoning is not. In this first episode of the Upward Growth Podcast, Ryan Peterson breaks down why Clover v. HHS is structurally different from every prior Star Ratings lawsuit, why your buyer at the plan got harder to close overnight, and where you actually sit in the fallout depending on where you operate in the market. What you'll hear: - The single-sentence way to explain why this case is different from prior Star Ratings litigation - What changed about who weighs in on Stars decisions at health plans - A three-zone exposure framework for figuring out where you sit in the fallout - The Loper Bright throughline and what it signals about the broader regulatory environment - Predictions on appellate timeline and likely outcome Read the full analysis in the Upward Growth newsletter: Clover v. HHS Is Not Just Another Star Ratings LawsuitAbout Upward Growth: Upward Growth is a health plan market advisory firm. We work with health tech vendors, investors, provider organizations, and management consultancies on how health plans actually buy, operate, and make decisions. Subscribe to the newsletter: https://upwardgrowth.substack.com/Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-peterson-1a20866/Learn more about Upward Growth: https://www.upwardgrowth.com