October 12, 2021
Highest-rated Medicare health plan in Hawaii
Kaiser Permanente of Hawaii’s integrated model of care earns 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
For the 5th straight year, Kaiser Permanente of Hawaii has received 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for its 2022 Medicare health plan. Kaiser Permanente is the only Medicare health plan in Hawaii and one of just 21 in the nation to receive 5 out of 5 stars this year from CMS, a federal agency and division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Medicare Star Quality Ratings for 2022 are based on plans’ performance in measures related to staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, patient experience, customer service, and pharmacy services. Once a year, CMS assigns a rating to individual Medicare health plans ranging from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) stars to provide beneficiaries with a way to compare Medicare health plans each year.
“It’s a privilege and honor to care for our ‘kupuna’ members across the state,” said Karen Ching, MD, assistant area medical director, Quality and Safety, for Hawaii Permanente Medical Group, using the Hawaiian word for elders. “Ultimately, these Medicare honors are a reflection of the commitment among our physicians, providers, nurses, and staff to ensure ‘kupuna’ and their family members receive the high-quality care and service they deserve.”
Medicare health plans that earn 5 out of 5 stars can participate in a 5-star special enrollment period and continue to enroll new individual Medicare members from December 8 through November 30 of the following year. Beneficiaries who want to change from their current Medicare plan to a 5-star plan may switch once per plan year during the 5-star special enrollment period.
Data for the Medicare Star Quality Ratings is drawn from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, the Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Surveys, Health Outcomes Survey, and CMS administrative data from audits, complaints, and “secret shopping.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, previous year’s performance scores for select measures were factored into the 2022 ratings. For more information about the CMS star ratings, visit cms.gov. To learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s highly rated Medicare health plans and historical star ratings by region, visit kp.org/medicarestars.
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 approximately 12.5 million members in 8 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.
