All Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plans Receive 5 out of 5 Stars

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente has announced that all of its Medicare health plans have earned 5 stars –– the highest overall rating for quality and service from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The 5-star rating applies to Kaiser Permanente's 2014 Medicare health plans that operate in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic States and Georgia.

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While five Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans received 5 stars in previous years, Kaiser Permanente's Georgia region is the latest to join the 5-star list. Kaiser Permanente is the only 5-star plan in the states it serves, except Oregon and Washington.

"This prestigious recognition demonstrates that quality has been – and will continue to be – a critical area of focus for all of us at Kaiser Permanente," said Bernard J. Tyson, chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente. "We are privileged that nearly 1.2 million Medicare members put their trust in the hands of dedicated Kaiser Permanente physicians, nurses and care teams. It is with our continued focus and commitment to quality that we deliver the safe and reliable quality of care that sets the bar for health care across America."

Through the Medicare Star Quality Ratings system, CMS rates Medicare health plans (both Parts C and D) on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 starsrepresenting the highestquality. The overall scores are based on more than 50 care and service quality measures across nine categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy services.

In addition to high-quality care, another benefit of a 5-star plan is that Medicare beneficiaries may enroll in a 5-star plan from Dec. 8, 2013, to Nov. 30, 2014, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period.

"We are proud that all of our Medicare health plans are 5-star plans. To earn 5 stars for quality is a great accomplishment and reflects Kaiser Permanente's commitment to achieving the best health outcomes for our members," said Jed Weissberg, MD, medical director, Kaiser Permanente Medicare Health Plans. "Our integrated care, combined with groundbreaking electronic health records, allows our care teams to safely and efficiently help keep our members healthy."

Kaiser Permanente's outstanding Medicare star quality rankings – coupled with top National Committee for Quality Assurance Medicare scores – are a significant organizational achievement made possible by its physicians and employees. The NCQA recently ranked Kaiser Permanente's operation in Southern California No. 1 in the nation for clinical performance and member satisfaction, and all Kaiser Permanente Medicare plans were in the top 4 percent of 405 plans rated.

"At Kaiser Permanente, our physicians and care teams are committed to the total health of our patients.  The high ratings we have achieved year after year validate our approach to care in which patients and their physicians make personalized treatment decisions together," said Jack Cochran, MD, FACS, executive director of The Permanente Federation. "We strive continuously to enhance and improve care so our members can have full and active lives."

Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the Medicare Star Quality Ratings and Kaiser Permanente's Medicare plans by visiting kp.org/medicarestars, medicare.gov/find-a-plan, 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. Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States includes Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

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, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 9.1 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 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.

For more information:
Diana Yee, diana.m.yee@kp.org, 510.271.6671
Mark Camps, mark.v.camps@kp.org, 510.625.5624

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente