(Reuters) – UnitedHealth expects most of its members to be enrolled in top-rated Medicare insurance plans next year, in line with its expectations, the top U.S. health insurer said in a filing on Tuesday.

Shares of the company rose nearly 4% to $332.80 in premarket trading on the news, as strong membership for plans with higher star ratings would mean bigger payments from the government to the insurer, and the bonus payments can be worth hundreds of millions or billions of dollars.

The company expects to have about 78% of its membership in 4-star or higher-rated Medicare plans, meant for Americans aged 65 years or older, based on its preliminary review.

This is consistent with its expectations and in line with historical performance, the company said.

The forecast, however, comes ahead

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