HealthMetrix Research Selects 2020 Medicare Advantage Plans for Exceptional Benefit Value & Overall Performance

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Oct 15, 2019, 13:00 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare Advantage plans in 63 cities will be recognized for exceptional value in the design of their medical and Part D prescription drug benefits available effective January 1. The 2020 Senior Choice Gold Award recipients were selected from Medicare Advantage plans across all states and Puerto Rico based on cost-sharing analysis conducted by HealthMetrix Research Inc. and MedicareNewsWatch.com. The 2020 Senior Choice Gold Award selections include special recognition for plans achieving at least 3.5-star overall ratings for quality and performance as reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

According to HealthMetrix Research Inc. president Alan Mittermaier:

"This prestigious consumer award is unique for considering both forward-looking cost-sharing along with the recently announced CMS quality and performance ratings. Each award recipient has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the design of their 2020 Medicare plan benefits, copayments, deductibles and premiums including the Part D prescription drug benefits. Nearly 80% of the award recipients also achieved at least 4-star CMS overall ratings for exceptional performance that raises the bar for all Medicare Advantage competitors. HealthMetrix Research commends those organizations for this distinctive dual recognition."

The award criteria were based on 2020 benefits and cost-sharing features approved by Medicare for the selected plans as published on Medicare Plan Finder (www.Medicare.gov). These include applicable plan copayments, deductibles and premiums adjusted for beneficiaries' health status (Excellent, Good, Poor) and utilization of healthcare services. The HealthMetrix Research cost-sharing analysis is available at www.MedicareNewsWatch.com. HealthMetrix Research neither recommends nor endorses specific Medicare plans.

2020 Senior Choice Gold Award Recipients

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issues ratings annually on a 1-Star (lowest) to 5-Star (highest) scale.

East	* Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient

Albany	MVP (4.5 Star)
Atlanta	Kaiser Permanente (5 Star)
Baltimore	Johns Hopkins Healthcare (3.5 Star)
Boston	Tufts Health Plan (5 Star)
Charlotte	Aetna* (4.5 Star)
Concord NH	United HealthCare (4 Star)
Fort Myers	Freedom Health (4.5 Star)
Greensboro	Aetna (4.5 Star)
Harrisburg	Highmark (4.5 Star)
Jacksonville	Florida Blue (5 Star)
Naples	Florida Blue (5 Star)
New York City Area (Westchester) (Nassau, Suffolk)	MVP (4.5 Star) Humana (3.5 Star)
Pensacola	Florida Blue (5 Star)
Philadelphia	Aetna* (4.5 Star)
Pittsburgh	Highmark* (4 Star)
Raleigh	FirstCarolinaCare* (4 Star)
Rochester	Aetna (4.5 Star)
Saint Petersburg	Ultimate Health Plan (4 Star)
San Juan PR	PMC* (4.5 Star)
Springfield MA	Tufts Health Plan (5 Star)
Syracuse	Aetna* (3.5 Star)
Tallahassee	United HealthCare* (4 Star)
Tampa	Humana (4.5 Star)
Washington DC	Cigna HealthSpring (3.5 Star)
West Palm Beach	MMM (4 Star)
Wilmington DE	Cigna HealthSpring (3.5 Star)

Midwest	* Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient

Akron	Humana (4 Star)
Birmingham	VIVA Health (4.5 Star)
Charleston WV	Highmark (3.5 Star)
Chattanooga	United HealthCare (4.5 Star)
Cleveland	Humana (4 Star)
Columbus	United HealthCare (4.5 Star)
Des Moines	Aetna* (3.5 Star)
Detroit	HAP* (4 Star)
Fort Wayne	Humana (4 Star)
Indianapolis	Humana (4 Star)
Knoxville	United HealthCare (4.5 Star)
Lansing	HAP (4 Star)
Little Rock	WellCare (3.5 Star)
Louisville	WellCare (3.5 Star)
Milwaukee	Anthem (4 Star)
Minneapolis-St. Paul	Blue Cross Blue Shield* (4.5 Star)
Mobile	Blue Cross Blue Shield (4 Star)
Montgomery	VIVA Health (4.5 Star)
New Orleans	Humana (4.5 Star)
Oklahoma City	Humana (4 Star)
Tulsa	Generations Healthcare* (3.5 Star)
Wichita	United HealthCare (4 Star)

West	* Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient

Bakersfield	Anthem (4 Star)
Boise	United HealthCare (4 Star)
Colorado Springs	Anthem (3.5 Stars)
Denver	Humana* (4.5 Star)
El Paso	Cigna HealthSpring* (4.5 Star)
Fresno	Health Net* (4 Star)
Los Angeles Area (Los Angeles, Orange San Bernardino, Riverside counties) Ventura county	Alignment Health Plan* (4.5 Star) WellCare (4 Star)
Portland	Kaiser Permanente (4.5 Star)
Sacramento	Alignment Health Plan* (4.5 Star)
Salt Lake City	Molina Healthcare* (3.5 Star)
San Diego	Alignment Health Plan* (4.5 Star)
Seattle	Amerigroup (3.5 Star)
Stockton	Alignment Health Plan* (4.5 Star)