Local Medicare health plan among nation’s best

DENVER — “Having a stroke was shocking. I worried about my future — playing with my grandkids, traveling with my wife. I didn’t know if I’d still be able to do all the things I love,” said Van Card, an 81-year-old national skiing champion and Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage member.

After being treated in the hospital for a mild stroke — a medical condition in which interruption of blood supply to the brain results in potential brain damage — Card was enrolled in Kaiser Permanente’s cardiac remote patient monitoring program. This program provided Card with access to a team of cardiologists, nurses, clinical pharmacy specialists, and other care team members who remotely monitored his progress while Card recovered at home. 

Card also received a digital scale and blood pressure cuff for recording his weight and blood pressure readings, which were instantly uploaded via Bluetooth to his electronic medical record. Card’s team of care providers were able to constantly monitor these results and adjust Card’s care plan and even his medications in real time.    

“I was in great hands with my Kaiser Permanente doctors and care team. They treated me well, cared for me and my condition after I was discharged, and helped me get back to leading my normal life. I highly recommend being a member.”

Card has since made a full recovery and is once again back to living a healthy lifestyle. His experience is one reason Kaiser Permanente in Colorado is consistently rated by national organizations as having the best plans in the state for Medicare enrollees.   

For instance, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 2022 Star Quality Ratings just listed Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plan in Colorado 5 out of 5 stars, CMS’ highest rating.

“We are honored to be recognized by CMS as a 5-star Medicare health plan,” said Mike Ramseier, regional president of Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. “This accolade is a testament to our commitment of providing our Medicare members with high quality health care.” 

CMS annually rates health plans on a 1 to 5 star scale, with 5 being the highest, to provide people with a way to assess Medicare plans based on the level of care and service delivery they provide. Medicare health plans that earn 5 out of 5 stars — such as Kaiser Permanente’s in Colorado — can continue to enroll new individual Medicare members all year long, not just during Medicare open enrollment, which is from October 15 to December 7. 

“We are thankful to our physicians, nurses, and care teams who are dedicated to providing personalized, connected care that helps our members live healthier, longer lives,” said Jeff Krawcek, MD, president and executive medical director of the Colorado Permanente Medical Group. “Amazing recognition from national institutions — like this 5-star designation — is not possible without our physicians and care providers and their continued excellence in delivering the best medicine to our members.” 

Every year, CMS rates all Medicare Advantage health plans (Parts C and D) on multiple facets of care and service, including chronic conditions management, health maintenance, patient experience, customer service, and pharmacy services. Kaiser Permanente’s excellent plan ratings demonstrate the value of our integrated health care delivery system, which brings a myriad of services together, in many cases all under one roof, and puts our patients at the center of care.

Learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s highly rated Medicare health plans and historical star ratings by visiting 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.