South San Francisco, CA October 14, 2016 Submitted by Joe Fragola, Kaiser Permanente
Health plans in California recognized with the maximum 5-star rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for excellence in care and service quality
For the sixth consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plans in California have earned 5 out of 5 stars, the highest overall rating in the state for quality and service for 2017 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
“Kaiser Permanente’s consistently high ratings demonstrate our deeply-rooted commitment to safe, reliable, quality care and service for our members,” said Janet Liang, president, Kaiser Permanente Northern California region. “Our top rating from CMS, along with other recent recognition as the only health plan in the country to receive the top rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for both our Medicare and commercial plans, demonstrates Kaiser Permanente leads the nation in transforming health care.”
The Medicare star quality ratings, developed by CMS, assigns scores of 1 to 5 stars to Medicare plans. The overall scores are based on care and service quality measures across nine categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy services.
Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans across the country have consistently received high ratings since CMS began awarding them in 2009. One reason is Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care model, which enables care teams and staff to serve members and patients using a coordinated, seamless approach. By combining care and coverage, we all work toward the same goal – the health and well-being of our members and customers.
“This recognition is a tribute to the superior medical care, rapid access and personalized service our physicians and staff provide patients every day,” said Robert Pearl, MD, executive director and CEO of The Permanente Medical Group. “Our integrated model combined with the most advanced technology allow our members to obtain care whenever and wherever they need it. If every American received the excellence in health care we provide through Kaiser Permanente, we could lower the mortality from cardiovascular disease by 30 percent and from sepsis by 40 percent.”
In addition to recognition by CMS, Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plans in Northern and Southern California recently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a national group that rates health plans for consumer experience, prevention and treatment. Kaiser Permanente Northern California was also given the top NCQA rating for its commercial health plan, making it the only organization in the country to achieve the top rating for both its Medicare and commercial plans.
For Medicare beneficiaries, the advantages of a 5-star plan go beyond high-quality care and service – they also include year-long open enrollment. Medicare beneficiaries may switch to a 5-star Kaiser Permanente individual Medicare plan through a CMS Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2016 to November 30, 2017, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period. Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the star ratings and Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare plans by visiting kp.org/medicarestars.
Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Star ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next.