Kaiser Permanente leads the nation in top-rated health plans

In the National Committee for Quality Assurance's 2026 ratings, only 18 health plans received the highest possible rating of 5 stars. Nine of those belong to Kaiser Permanente.
 

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente continues to provide some of the highest-rated health care in the nation.

In the 2026 National Committee for Quality Assurance Health Plan Ratings, Kaiser Permanente's commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid health plans earned the highest rating or tied for the highest rating in every region Kaiser Permanente serves.

5-star plans

NCQA evaluated nearly 1,000 health plans. Only 18 received the highest possible rating of 5 stars. Nine of those belong to Kaiser Permanente.

These include Kaiser Permanente's:

• Commercial plans in Northern California and the mid-Atlantic states area (Baltimore, suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C.)
• Medicare plans in Northern California, Southern California, the mid-Atlantic states area, and Nevada
• Medicaid plans in Northern California, Southern California, and Maryland

Commercial plans with 4.5 stars

Kaiser Permanente's commercial plans received 4.5 stars in these regions:

• Southern California
• Colorado
• Hawaii
• Northwest (Oregon and southern Washington)
• Washington

Medicare plans with 4.5 stars

All Kaiser Permanente Medicare plans received 4.5 stars or higher.

Medicaid plans

Kaiser Permanente's eligible Medicaid plans — in Northern California, Southern California, Hawaii, and Maryland — all were rated highest in their region or state.

More 5-star and 4.5-star plans than any organization

Only 1 out of every 13 plans (about 7%) earned a rating of 4.5 stars or higher. At Kaiser Permanente, 20 of 22 plans, or 91%, earned 4.5 stars or higher.

Kaiser Permanente has more 5-star and 4.5-star plans combined than any other health care organization for the 11th ratings cycle in a row.

"The NCQA ratings show that we're delivering on our commitment to provide high-quality care to all our members," said Andrew Bindman, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Kaiser Permanente. "Our strong scores reflect the value of our integrated, coordinated model of care. It helps our care teams consistently deliver the right care at the right time."

High-quality care our members deserve

NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization that measures and accredits health care plans. NCQA evaluates health plans on the quality of care patients receive, how happy patients are with their care, and health plans' efforts to keep improving. The 2026 ratings are based primarily on 2025 data.

"We're proud of how our physicians and care teams work together to deliver high-quality care for our patients," said Letitia Bridges, MD, executive vice president and chief quality officer for The Permanente Federation. "These ratings reflect our commitment to prevention, treatment, and positive care experiences for all the members and patients we serve."

Learn more about NCQA's ratings and other awards and recognition Kaiser Permanente has earned for quality and service.

Notes about Kaiser Permanente in Nevada:

• In 2025, Kaiser Permanente in Nevada was Hometown Health Plan, Inc., and Hometown Health Providers Insurance Company, Inc.
• In 2025, the Medicare plan was known as Hometown Health's Senior Care Plus plan.
• The performance data reflected in these ratings is from a period before Kaiser Permanente and Renown Health formed their joint venture in February 2026. Hometown Health is now jointly owned by Kaiser Permanente and Renown Health. Plan offerings will transition to Kaiser Permanente branding in 2027.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve nearly 12.9 million members in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org.

For more information, contact:
National Media Relations, [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente