Health Care Members Speak: Kaiser Permanente Gets High Marks for Satisfaction in J.D. Power Annual Study

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May 30, 2017, 11:00 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., May 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente members in six geographic areas are, once again, more satisfied with their health plans than members of any other health plan within those regions, according to the recently released J.D. Power 2017 Member Health Plan Study.^SM

The 11th annual study examines the experience of health plan members in six key areas: coverage and benefits, cost, provider choice, customer service, information and communication, and claims processing. According to the study, members' satisfaction in five of Kaiser Permanente's regions continued to be ahead of the field:

For the 10th consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente was rated highest by health care members in California and Colorado.
For the eighth consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente was rated highest in J.D. Power's South Atlantic region
For the fourth consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente was rated highest in the Northwest region.
After eight years in a row being top-rated in the J.D. Power's "Mid-Atlantic Region," Kaiser Permanente is top-rated in J.D. Power's newly created "Maryland Region" and "Virginia Region."

"We are all extremely proud that once again our members rated us highest in consumer satisfaction in the J.D. Power Member Health Plan Study," said Arthur M. Southam, MD, executive vice president, Health Plan Operations, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals. "Credit goes to our physicians, nurses, care teams and employees who are dedicated to delivering the best care and service possible. This level of achievement requires outstanding performance from everyone across Kaiser Permanente, and this honor is shared by all of our people."

The J.D. Power 2017 Member Health Plan Study measures member satisfaction among 168 health plans in 22 geographic regions throughout the United States.

The study reflects results of a survey conducted from January 2017 to March 2017 and completed by nearly 34,000 members of commercial health plans. Each health plan included in the J.D. Power 2017 Member Health Plan Study was measured on a scale of 1,000 points for overall member satisfaction. Details of the results in each of the regions where Kaiser Permanente ranked highest are outlined below:

California Region: Kaiser Permanente earned an overall member satisfaction score of 780 points, 64 points above the average score for the region, and 64 points more than the next highest ranked health plan.
Colorado Region: Kaiser Permanente earned 725 points, 49 points above the regional average and 32 points more than the next highest ranked health plan.
South Atlantic Region: Kaiser Permanente earned 791 points, 84 points above the regional average and 73 more points than the next highest ranked plan.
Northwest Region: Kaiser Permanente earned 751 points, 54 points higher than the regional average and 32 points higher than the next highest ranked plan.
Maryland Region: Kaiser Permanente earned 794 points, 71 points above the regional average and 71 more points than the next highest ranked plan.
Virginia Region: Kaiser Permanente earned 769 points, 67 points above the regional average and 48 more points than the next highest ranked plan.

This consumer satisfaction study by J.D. Power is the most recent in a string of accolades earned by Kaiser Permanente. In the past year:

Kaiser Permanente commercial health plans received No. 1 rankings for 2016 in 21 effectiveness-of-care measures, far more than any other health plan in the nation, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance's Quality Compass® dataset.
Kaiser Permanente was rated by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as having the highest (or tied for the highest) rated commercial and Medicare health plans in all the markets it serves for 2016-17.

Learn more about the study at http://www.jdpower.com.

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 11.8 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. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

Contact: Marc Brown
510-271-6328
[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente