PORTLAND, Ore. - Regence recently earned strong ratings in quality and performance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its 2019 Medicare Advantage health plans in Oregon and Washington.
CMS Star Ratings* are a measure of health plan quality aimed at improving health outcomes and patient experience. These annual ratings, which range from 1 (low) to 5 (high), help educate consumers during the Medicare health plan selection process.
For 2019, Regence’s Medicare Advantage plans earned 4 stars across Washington and Oregon:
- Washington - HMO 4 Stars, PPO 4 Stars
- Oregon - HMO 4 Stars, PPO 4 Stars
“When a Medicare member chooses Regence, they’re entrusting us with their health care needs and dollars—and we take this responsibility very seriously,” said Kathleen Faulk, Regence’s general manager of government programs. “Our 2019 Star Ratings reflect our commitment to providing exceptional health coverage with innovations that deliver more value for our members each and every day.”
Regence helped its Medicare members achieve improvements in several critical areas for its 2019 Star Ratings, including blood pressure, blood sugar, diabetic eye exams, and body mass index (BMI).
“We take great pride in our long history of serving the community as a local, nonprofit health plan,” added Faulk. “Medicare Advantage members are savvy shoppers with vastly different and personal situations. Our job is to help deliver a high-quality, cost-effective, seamless health care experience. And I know we’re up for the challenge.”
Looking toward 2019 and beyond, Regence is exploring ways to enhance and build upon its current health plan strengths. Next year this will include expanding supplemental benefits to offer 24/7 virtual primary care provider (PCP) access; complementary alternative medicine on select plans (chiropractic, acupuncture and naturopathy); virtual Diabetes Prevention services; as well as a new online prescription resource and wellness program.
*Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next.
About Regence
Regence serves more than 2.6 million members through Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (select counties in Washington). Each health plan is a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com.