For the ninth year in a row, Kaiser Permanente’s mid-Atlantic region has received 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its 2021 Medicare health plan. Kaiser Permanente is the only Medicare health plan in Washington, D.C., and one of only two in Maryland and Virginia, to receive 5 stars this year from CMS, a federal agency and division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, out of hundreds of Medicare plans in the US, the Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic plan is one of only two plans have received five stars for the past nine years.
The Medicare Star Quality Ratings System helps Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers compare the quality of Medicare health and drug plans. Within the ratings, one star represents poor performance and five stars represent excellent performance. CMS, the agency that oversees Medicare administration, judged plan performance and rated plans based on measures related to staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member experience, customer service and pharmacy services. Data for the Medicare Star Quality Rating is drawn from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, and the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare providers and Systems, Health Outcomes Survey and CMS administrative data from audits, complaints and “secret shopping.”
“These remarkable results are evidence of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to high-quality care and outstanding customer service for our Medicare members,” said Ruth Williams-Brinkley, region president of Kaiser Permanente. “We’re proud to be able to provide our members with top doctors and specialists to provide care in person or virtually so that they can get the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Medicare health plans that earn 5 out of 5 stars can participate in a 5-star Special Enrollment Period and continue to enroll new, individual Medicare members from December 8 through November 30 of the following year. Beneficiaries who want to change from their current Medicare health plan to a 5-star plan may switch once per plan year during the 5-star Special Enrollment Period.
“For the past nine years, this rating has reflected our steadfast commitment to provide award-winning medical care to each and every Medicare patient,” said Richard McCarthy, MD, medical director for Kaiser Permanente in the mid-Atlantic region. “As we face unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our physicians will continue to work as a team to deliver exceptional outcomes and service to seniors in our region.”
For more information about the CMS star ratings, visit medicare.gov. To learn more about the star ratings and see Kaiser Permanente’s ratings by region, visit kp.org/medicarestars.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/
