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The Medicare Star Quality Rating System.

A simple, objective way to compare Medicare health plans in your area.

The Medicare Star Quality Rating System was developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that administers the Medicare program.† It gives Medicare beneficiaries an independent way to compare Medicare health and prescription drug plans on overall quality and service—and determine the highest quality plans in their area.


Here’s how it works:

Each individual Medicare health plan is assigned an overall rating from 5 stars to 1 star, based on the plan’s performance in more than 50 specific areas across 9 general categories. The ratings are updated annually based on ongoing monitoring and analysis.


Here’s what the number of stars represents:

five stars  Excellent performance

four stars  Above average performance

three stars  Average performance

two stars  Below average performance

one star  Poor performance

  

*Plan performance Star Ratings are assessed each year and may change from one year to the next. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Plan Management System, Plan Ratings 2013. Kaiser Permanente contract #H0524, H0630, H1170, H1230, H2150, H6360, H9003.

†A branch of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

You must reside in the Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage (HMO) or Medicare Plus (Cost) service area in which you enroll.

Kaiser Permanente is a health plan with a Medicare contract.

At sales meetings, a sales person will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-877-220-3956 (toll free) or TTY 711.

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This page was last updated: January 17, 2013 at 12 a.m. PT