HealthPartners plan receives highest star rating from Medicare

Freedom is one of only 11 Medicare plans in the U.S. to receive five-out-of-five stars on measures of quality and service

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HealthPartners© Freedom Medicare plan received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2013 plan ratings. Freedom is one of only 11 plans in the nation – among the 563 plans rated – to receive Medicare’s highest rating, earning a spot in the top 1.95 percent. Freedom is also the only plan in the Cost and Medicare Advantage with Part D category in Minnesota to receive five stars.

CMS gives star ratings each year to all Medicare plans in the nation. The ratings are provided to consumers to help them rank the quality of the plans available in their market. Plans with five stars are denoted on Medicare’s Plan Finder site at www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan as a “high performer.”

Medicare recommends that consumers use the star ratings along with cost and coverage information to compare plans before buying, and to evaluate their current plan against other plans in the area.

Star ratings are based on a number of data sources, including: Clinical quality and patient experience survey results, customer service, drug adherence and safe use of medications and operational excellence.

In addition to being highlighted in the plan finding tool on Medicare’s website, HealthPartners Freedom is also allowed to enroll beneficiaries year-round, instead of just during the Annual Enrollment period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. In 2013, HealthPartners will be the only plan in the Cost and Medicare Advantage category in Minnesota with this privilege.

Freedom received 4.5 stars last year in the 2012 ratings. This year’s improved score is a result of even stronger member satisfaction and improved member health.

Minnesota Senior Health Options, another HealthPartners Medicare plan, received an impressive 4.5 stars. MSHO is HealthPartners dual-eligibility plan for Medicare and Medicaid members.

HealthPartners Freedom has several coverage options available, featuring different monthly premiums and benefits.

About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of health care companies serves more than 1.4 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. It is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health of members, patients and the community. HealthPartners is the top-ranked commercial health plan in Minnesota and is also ranked among the top 30 plans in the nation according to NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-13 - private.