IEHP Earns Highest Rating for Medicare Part D Quality and Performance

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Dec 13, 2010, 12:53 ET

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Out of hundreds of Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plans in the nation, IEHP Medicare DualChoice (HMO SNP) is one of only five plans across the country that earned a 5-star rating for its Part D quality and performance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

CMS conducts this annual rating to gauge how well health and drug plans perform on a scale of one to five, with five stars representing the highest quality. IEHP is the only MA-PD plan in California to receive this distinction.

The rating system is used by CMS to monitor plans to ensure that they meet Medicare's quality standards. Medicare beneficiaries also use the ratings as a tool to compare the quality of care and customer service that Medicare health and drug plans offer.

To determine the rating of a Part D plan, CMS evaluates 19 different topics in four categories: drug plan customer service; drug plan member complaints, members who choose to leave and Medicare audit findings; Member experience with a drug plan; drug pricing and patient safety. Scores from each of those categories are compiled, resulting in an overall score and rating.

"This great achievement is the result of our dedicated IEHP Team Members, the support from our pharmacies and our pharmacy benefit management administrator, all working diligently together to provide our Members with a high quality drug plan," said Dr. Bradley Gilbert, IEHP chief executive officer.

About IEHP:

IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, a Knox-Keene licensed Health Plan located in San Bernardino, California, is a not-for-profit public agency. IEHP services San Bernardino and Riverside Counties and has over 470,000 Members in the following programs: Medi-Cal (including seniors and people with disabilities), Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, and a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Program. IEHP Medicare DualChoice (HMO SNP) is a Medicare Advantage Organization with a Medicare contract. Through a dynamic partnership with providers, award-winning service and innovative products, IEHP is fully committed to providing Members with quality, accessible and wellness based healthcare services. www.iehp.org.

SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)