Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States has again received the highest possible rating of 5 out of 5 stars in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for quality and service. This latest announcement marks the fourth consecutive year that the Mid-Atlantic States Region has earned 5 stars – a level of performance consistent with Kaiser Permanente’s high ratings across the regions it serves. In fact, for 2016, Kaiser Permanente Medicare plans are among the 3.25% of plans nationwide that earned 5 stars.
“When a health plan consistently receives top ratings for quality – it is a strong indicator of exceptional quality across the organization – and the care that members can expect,” said Kim Horn, president, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States. “We can only achieve this level of quality with the hard work of our many healthcare professionals and award-winning physicians – through this partnership, we continue to be the clear choice for more than 600,000 members in the region.”
CMS created the Medicare star quality rating system to provide beneficiaries a way to assess Medicare plans’ quality of care and service delivery so they can make an informed decision when choosing a plan. CMS uses the star ratings to rank Medicare plans on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars representing the highest quality. The overall scores are based on care and service quality measures (Parts C and D) across nine categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy services. The number of measures used varies by the health plan, and from year to year, but for 2016, CMS based overall scores for each plan on up to 44 unique quality and performance measures.
“Our unparalleled approach to coordinated, evidence-based care and innovation allows our excellent physicians to provide the best possible care for our members,” said Bernadette Loftus, MD, associate executive medical director for Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, P.C. “This rating speaks to that exceptional quality and more importantly, our unrelenting commitment to excellence year after year.”
The five stars rating is the latest in a string of national accolades for the Mid-Atlantic Region and serves as another tool for consumers to consider as they make coverage decisions for the coming year.
Additionally, the National Committee on Quality Assurance recently rated Kaiser Permanente in the top 3% percent of all commercial and Medicare health plans and, all 29 of its local medical centers received the highest rating (Level III) for Patient Centered Medical Home, a best practice in coordinated care delivery.
For Medicare beneficiaries, the advantages of a 5-star plan go beyond high-quality care and service – they also include a longer enrollment opportunity. Medicare beneficiaries may switch to a 5-star Kaiser Permanente individual Medicare plan through a CMS Special Enrollment Period from Dec. 8, 2015 to Nov. 30, 2016, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period. All available Kaiser Permanente physicians welcome Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan members.
Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the star ratings and Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare plans by visiting kp.org/medicarestars or by calling Kaiser Permanente at 1-877-425-7892
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.
