PacificSource Health Plans is one of three companies in its service area to receive a 2012 plan rating of 4.5 stars out of a potential of 5 stars for its Medicare Advantage programs. According to data released on Wednesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), this is the highest score awarded in the markets PacificSource serves throughout Oregon and Idaho.
“We are pleased to be recognized by CMS for our delivery of high quality health care, value, and service,” said Ken Provencher, CEO of PacificSource. “This is a reflection of our corporate mission to help people get the healthcare they need and our commitment as a not-for-profit community health plan to deliver quality healthcare and service excellence.”
CMS measures how well Medicare health and drug plans perform on more than 50 different items by rating Medicare Advantage plans on a one to five star scale, with five stars representing the highest quality and value. The summary star rating is a cumulative measure of: quality of care (are members are staying healthy, is the plan managing chronic conditions), access to care, responsiveness, member experience (customer service levels, volume of member complaints), and transparency such as drug pricing and safety measures.
“The rating we received reflects our unique approach of developing long term partnerships with our providers and other entities in the community to improve costs, quality, utilization, and health status,” stated Dan Stevens, Senior Vice President of Government Programs for PacificSource. “These community partnerships and collaborations ultimately allow us to deliver better value and quality to our members.”
CMS posts star ratings on the Medicare website at www.Medicare.gov/find-a-plan, which includes tools to help individuals compare and choose plans offered in their area. CMS also uses the quality star ratings as part of the oversight of Medicare Advantage plans. If a plan is relatively new or if a plan has fewer than 1,000 members, CMS may not publish quality star ratings due to missing data. When individuals compare plans, they should consider the plan’s quality in addition to looking at the plan’s costs and coverage.
Since PacificSource Health Plans acquired Clear One Health Plans in May of 2010, the Medicare Advantage membership has increased by nearly 12% and the star ratings improved from 3.5 in 2011 to 4.5 in 2012. PacificSource also expanded its Medicare Advantage plans in 2012 to include eleven Oregon counties, including Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Hood River, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler, as well as thirteen Idaho counties, including Ada, Blaine, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee and Twin Falls.
Annual enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans is October 15 – December 7, 2011. During this time, those age 65 and over who are enrolling for the first time or those looking to switch plans should research their options and make the selection that best meets their individual needs. For more information regarding PacificSource’s Medicare Advantage Plans, visit an office location (Boise, Bend or Springfield) for one-on-one attention, call (888) 863-3637 or go to www.Medicare.PacificSource.com.
About PacificSource Health Plans
PacificSource Health Plans is an independent, not-for-profit community health plan serving the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1933, PacificSource is based in Eugene, Oregon, with local offices throughout Oregon and in Idaho and Montana. The PacificSource family of companies employs 650 people, serves more than 290,000 individuals, and has 6,200 employer clients throughout the Northwest. PacificSource Community Health Plans, Inc. is a subsidiary of PacificSource Health Plans and markets Medicare Advantage products under the name PacificSource Medicare.
