HealthMetrix Research Selects 2021 Medicare Advantage Plans for Exceptional Benefit Value & Overall Performance

News provided by

Oct 15, 2020, 13:00 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare Advantage plans in 92 cities will be recognized for exceptional value in the design of their medical and Part D prescription drug benefits available effective January 1. The 2021 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 2021 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 is the only consumer award that considers both forward-looking cost-sharing along with the Medicare Advantage annual quality and performance star ratings. Each award recipient has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the design of their 2021 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 overall ratings for exceptional performance that raises the bar for all Medicare Advantage competitors. HealthMetrix Research commends each Medicare Advantage organization for this distinctive dual recognition."

The award criteria were based on 2021 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 Advantage plans.

2021 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	WellCare (3.5 Star)
Atlanta	CIGNA (3.5 Star)
Baltimore	Kaiser Permanente (5 Star)
Boston	Tufts Health Plan* (5 Star)
Bradenton	Florida Blue (4.5 Star)
Buffalo	WellCare (3.5 Star)
Charleston SC	CIGNA (4 Star)
Charlotte	CIGNA (4 Star)
Columbia SC	Humana (4 Star)
Concord NH	Humana (4 Star)
Fort Lauderdale	Florida Blue (4.5 Star)
Fort Myers	Humana (4.5 Star)
Greensboro	CIGNA (4 Star)
Harrisburg	Highmark* (4.5 Star)
Jacksonville	Florida Blue * (4.5 Star)
Miami	Florida Blue * (4.5 Star)
Naples	Humana (4.5 Star)
New York City Metro Suffolk & Westchester NY counties Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Union NJ counties	Centers Plan for Healthy Living (3.5 Star) WellCare (3.5 Star) Amerigroup (3.5 Star)
Ocala	Ultimate Health Plans (4 Star)
Orlando	Florida Blue * (4.5 Star)
Pensacola	Florida Blue* (4.5 Star)
Philadelphia	Health Partners Plans (3.5 Star)
Pittsburgh	Highmark* (4 Star)
Providence	Blue Cross Blue Shield (4 Star)
Raleigh	FirstMedicareDirect* (4 Star)
Richmond VA	Humana (4 Star)
Rochester	WellCare (3.5 Star)
San Juan PR	Medicare y Mucho Mas (4 Star)
Sarasota	Florida Blue * (4.5 Star)
Savannah	Anthem (3.5 Star)
Springfield MA	Aetna (4 Star)
Syracuse	Humana (4 Star)
Tallahassee	United HealthCare* (3.5 Star)
Tampa-Saint Petersburg	Ultimate Health Plans (4 Star)
Washington DC Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax VA counties	CIGNA* (3.5 Star) Optima Health (3.5 Star)
West Palm Beach	Florida Blue * (4.5 Star)
Wilmington DE	Aetna (4.5 Star)

Midwest	* Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient
Akron	Anthem (4 Star)
Baton Rouge	Peoples Health (4.5 Star)
Birmingham	Humana (4 Star)
Charleston WV	Humana (4 Star)
Chattanooga	United HealthCare* (4 Star)
Chicago	Humana (4 Star)
Cincinnati	Anthem (4 Star)
Cleveland	Anthem (4 Star)
Columbus	Anthem (4 Star)
Dayton	Anthem (4 Star)
Des Moines	United HealthCare (4 Star)
Detroit	HAP* (4.5 Star)
Fort Wayne	Anthem (3.5 Star)
Grand Rapids	HAP (4.5 Star)
Indianapolis	United HealthCare (4.5 Star)
Jackson MS	CIGNA (4 Star)
Knoxville	United HealthCare* (4 Star)
Lansing	PHP Medicare Plan (4.5 Star)
Little Rock	CIGNA (4.5 Star)
Louisville	Humana (4.5 Star)
Madison	UW Health Quartz (5 Star)
Memphis	Humana (4.5 Star)
Milwaukee	Network Health (4.5 Star)
Minneapolis-St. Paul	Humana (4 Star)
Mobile	CIGNA (4.5 Star)
Montgomery	CIGNA (4.5 Star)
Nashville	Humana (4.5 Star)
New Orleans	Peoples Health (4.5 Star)
Oklahoma City	Humana* (4 Star)
Omaha	Humana (4 Star)
St. Louis	Essence Healthcare (4.5 Star)
Toledo	Anthem (4 Star)
Tulsa	United HealthCare (4 Star)
Wichita	United HealthCare* (4.5 Star)
West	* Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient
Bakersfield	Anthem* (3.5 Star)
Boise	United HealthCare* (4 Star)
Dallas-Fort Worth	Care N' Care (3.5 Stars)
Denver	Humana* (4 Star)
Fresno	Health Net* (4 Star)
Honolulu	Humana (4 Star)
Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Orange counties) (San Bernardino, Riverside counties) (Ventura county)	Central Health Medicare Plan (3.5 Star) Anthem (3.5 Star) WellCare (4.5 Star)
Modesto	Anthem (3.5 Star)
Portland	Pacific Source (4 Star)
San Antonio	United HealthCare (4.5 Star)
San Diego	Brand New Day (3.5 Star)
San Francisco	Alignment Health Plan (4 Star)
San Jose	Alignment Health Plan (4 Star)
San Mateo	Anthem (3.5 Star)
Santa Fe	Humana (4 Star)
Stockton	Alignment Health Plan (4 Star)