For the eighth 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 2019 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

“Our consistent highest rating from CMS speaks to Kaiser Permanente’s leadership in health care transformation with our integrated model of care,” said Janet Liang, president, Kaiser Permanente Northern California Region. “With coverage and care combined and conveniently accessible, our focus is on the same goal: the health and well-being of our members and patients.”

CMS created the Medicare star quality rating system to help people assess Medicare plans based on quality of care and service delivery, so they can make an informed decision when choosing a plan. CMS uses the star ratings system to rank Medicare health 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 across 9 categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service, and pharmacy services.

Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans have consistently received high ratings since CMS began awarding them in 2009. In addition to Northern and Southern California, Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii and the Mid-Atlantic states received 5 out of 5 stars for 2019, the highest rating for quality and service. Regions in the Northwest, Colorado, Georgia, and Washington received 4.5 stars.

According to CMS, 4 of the 14 highest-rated Medicare health plans in the country are Kaiser Permanente plans, representing 71 percent of 5-star membership in the country.

“This recognition is a tribute to our dedicated physicians and staff who every day deliver a superior level of medical care to our patients,” said Richard S. Isaacs, MD, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “We are dedicated to providing exceptional, high-quality care that makes a positive impact on the lives of our patients throughout Northern California.”

In addition to recognition by CMS, Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plans in Northern California recently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a national group that rates health plans for consumer experience, prevention, and treatment.

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 change to a 5-star Medicare plan through a CMS Special Enrollment Period from Dec. 8, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2019, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period. Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the star ratings and Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plans by visiting kp.org/medicarestars.

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