Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States' Medicare Plan Receives the Highest Possible Rating for the Third Straight Year

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente of Mid-Atlantic States announced today that its Medicare health plan has again received an overall rating of 5 stars, the highest rating possible from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for Medicare health plans (Parts C and D) across the country.

Through the Medicare Star Quality Ratings system, CMS assigns scores of 1 to 5 stars to Medicare plans based on more than 46 care and service quality measures across nine categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy services.

This is the third year in a row that Kaiser Permanente's Mid-Atlantic Medicare plan has received a 5 star rating, and it remains the only 5-star plan in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

Nationwide, Kaiser Permanente represents 5 of 11 Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage that earned 5 stars for 2015.

"To earn the highest rating in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC, reflects the hard work and success of our physicians and care teams coming together to provide high quality care to our members," said Kim Horn, president, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States. "Our dedication, care and coverage combined, along with cutting-edge technology truly makes Kaiser Permanente a model for health care in this country."

In addition to the Medicare star quality ratings, Kaiser Permanente Medicare plans were also recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance report — NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2014-15 ­— as the highest-ranked Medicare plans in the nation for the fourth year in a row. The report ranks all seven Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans No.1 in the regions or states they serve. 

"Earning 5 stars for quality is a great accomplishment and reflects Kaiser Permanente's commitment to achieving nationally recognized health outcomes for our members," said Bernadette Loftus, MD, associate executive director, The Permanente Medical Group. "Our top doctors, our focus on evidence-based medicine and preventative care, along with our comprehensive use of electronic medical records, give our members the best care experience possible."

Along with receiving high-quality care and service, another benefit of a 5-star plan is that Medicare beneficiaries may enroll in a 5-star plan almost all year, from Dec. 8, 2014, to Nov. 30, 2015, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period. All Kaiser Permanente physicians accept Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan members.

Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the Medicare Star Quality Ratings and Kaiser Permanente's Medicare plans by visiting www.kp.org/medicarestars or by calling Kaiser Permanente at 1-855-817-5831. 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.

About Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States
Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States region, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, provides and coordinates complete health care services for more than 510,000 members through 29 medical centers in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Founded in 1980, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is a total health organization comprised of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., and the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, P.C., an independent medical group that features more than 1,000 physicians. Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States was ranked in the nation's 20 top commercial health plans and 10 top Medicare health plans — and the No. 1 Commercial and Medicare plan for Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. — by "NCQA Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2014-2015 Private." For more information about Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States, visit kp.org or follow us on Twitter, twitter.com/KPMidAtlantic.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States

Related Links

http://www.kp.org