Kaiser Permanente Colorado Receives Top Marks in National Quality Ranking

DENVER, Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente is the highest-rated commercial health insurance plan in Colorado and No. 6 in the nation for quality and member satisfaction, according to new rankings by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

In addition, "NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-2013" lists Kaiser Permanente Colorado as the No. 2 Medicare plan in U.S. This is the fourth year in a row Kaiser Permanente Colorado has been among the top three Medicare Plans in the nation.

"NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-2013" appears online at www.ncqa.org. The rankings will also be published in a leading consumer magazine next month.    

"These rankings demonstrate how a team-based approach to delivering care supported by an electronic medical record can result in superior patient outcomes," said Michael Chase, MD, associate medical director of Quality for Kaiser Permanente Colorado.  "At the end of the day, being recognized as one of the nation's top health plans is about providing outstanding care and service to our patients."

All eight Kaiser Permanente regions stand out among the 474 commercial health plans ranked by NCQA.  In addition, for the second year in a row, Kaiser Permanente was recognized for having the top three national Medicare plans.

FACTS ABOUT THE RANKINGS:
The rankings are based on data collected, analyzed and converted to scores by the NCQA. The three reporting categories include consumer satisfaction, prevention and treatment. The rankings reflect Kaiser Permanente Colorado's outstanding performance in a variety of quality measures, including the following:

• Asthma care
• Cardiac Care
• Childhood immunizations
• High blood pressure control

KAISER PERMANENTE: IMPROVING QUALTY OF CARE
Kaiser Permanente's integrated approach to care delivery makes it easy for members to connect with their caregivers. With innovative Web-based tools through www.kp.org and the recently launched app for mobile devices, Kaiser Permanente members have access to information in their secure medical record, as well as tools to communicate with their caregivers. My Health Manager on kp.org gives members the ability to schedule appointments, check lab results, order prescriptions and email their doctors.  Kaiser Permanente physicians use a robust system of electronic medical records when caring for patients, enabling better care coordination and ultimately improved clinical outcomes. 

Kaiser Permanente Colorado has recently been recognized for delivering outstanding care to patients with high blood pressure. The health plan was named a 2012 Hypertension Control Champion by Million Hearts™ for achieving a member blood pressure control rate of 82.6---nearly twice the national average. In addition, 16 Kaiser Permanente Colorado medical offices and nearly 300 individual physicians have earned the top-level Patient-Centered Medical Home designation by NCQA. Also, for the past two years, the U.S. Health and Human Service's Medicare agency, CMS, has awarded Kaiser Permanente Colorado 5 Stars, the highest possible rating for a Medicare plan.

ABOUT NCQA:
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care.

About Kaiser Permanente Colorado
Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state's largest nonprofit health plan, proudly working to improve the lives and health of Colorado residents for more than 40 years. Kaiser Permanente Colorado provides comprehensive health care services to more than 535,000 members through 24 medical offices and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. On October 1, 2012 Kaiser Permanente will open two new medical offices in Fort Collins and Loveland. The health plan was named "Highest in Member Satisfaction" among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates for the fifth straight year. Kaiser Permanente was also recently recognized as a 2012 Hypertension Champion by Million Hearts™.  In 2011, Kaiser Permanente proudly directed more than $90 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/newscenter or follow us on twitter @kpcolorado or facebook.com/kpcolorado.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente