Portland – Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon is pleased to announce its Medicare Advantage PPO plan received 4.5 out of 5 Stars* from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Star ratings are a measure of health plan quality. The program’s goal is to improve health outcomes and patient experience, and reduce costs for members. CMS publishes the ratings annually to help Medicare beneficiaries choose a high-quality health plan.
“The 4.5 Star rating clearly highlights that our plans offer members in our service area a better choice for their health care benefit,” said Scott Powers, Regence president of Government Programs. “Our highest priority is offering members the care and service they deserve, and continuous improvement is a critical part of our mission.”
For the 2016 Star Ratings, Regence’s plan made significant improvements in nearly 90 percent of the clinical measures related to member health outcomes, such as blood pressure, diabetes, and hospital readmissions. A company-wide initiative, focused on member and provider engagement, helped ensure members took advantage of the preventive care and screening available to better manage their health and conditions. In addition, the company made significant gains in pharmacy measures, including medication adherence and better monitoring members’ use of high-risk medications.
“Behind each measure of the ratings is a member’s face. Members are what it’s all about and why these ratings matter,” said Dr. Bruce Smith, executive medical director. “By closing gaps in care for chronic conditions like diabetes, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure, we are helping ensure better health outcomes for our members.”
Going forward, the company will focus on enhancing and expanding its care and disease management programs, Smith said. This includes encouraging providers to focus on improving health outcomes through performance-based contracts, incentivizing quality of care and innovative site-of-care tools designed to help close gaps in care. Regence is also introducing industry-leading, high-tech tools that use data to help members get access to the right care at the right time in the right place.
* 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. Medicare Star Ratings for plans can be found at http://www.medicare.gov.
** Regence is a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Regence depends on contract renewal.
About Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, headquartered in Portland, has been serving Oregonians since 1941 and now provides more than 750,000 members with comprehensive health insurance solutions. As 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, facebook.com/regencebluecrossblueshield, or twitter.com/regenceoregon.
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