Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States Highest Scoring HMO Plan According to Maryland Health Care Commission 2011 Report

Scoring above the state average in 14 of 22 measures

ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is the highest scoring health maintenance organization (HMO) in the Maryland Health Care Commission's (MHCC) 2011 Health Benefit Plan Performance Report: Measuring the Quality of Maryland Commercial Health Benefit Plans.

Kaiser Permanente had the highest number of top rankings, scoring above the state average in 14 of 22 performance measures captured in the 2011 report – none of the seven other health plans had more than 8 measures above the state average.  The annual report, released on November 20, scores health plans based on measures grouped into four categories – Primary Care, Chronic Care, Behavioral Health, and Member Satisfaction – and provides consumers with an objective source of information to compare health plans on key quality measures relating to health care delivery and member satisfaction.

"I am so proud of the physicians and staff of Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States," says Bernadette Loftus, MD, associate executive director for The Permanente Medical Group.  "Being recognized, once again, as the #1 plan in Maryland is truly exciting.  These 2011 results illustrate how we have raced ahead of all the other health plans.  We are clearly the leader in quality and service.  This honor is worth celebrating."

Kaiser Permanente's scores substantially exceeded those of six other health plans on primary care measures that focus on prevention and increase the chance of early detection of diseases, when recovery rates are higher.  The primary care measure of breast cancer screening, for example, looks at the percentage of women 40-69 years of age who had a mammogram to screen for breast cancer.  Kaiser Permanente's rate was 83 percent compared to the Maryland HMO/POS average of 69 percent. 

Additionally, Kaiser Permanente is the only health plan that scored above the state average on 4 of 6 member satisfaction measures.  One of the measures is coordination of care which is determined by the percentage of adult members who said their personal doctor is "always" informed and up-to-date on the care they receive from other doctors and health providers.  Kaiser Permanente scored 57 percent compared to the Maryland HMO/POS average of 46 percent. 

Kaiser Permanente received scores above the state average in the following measures:

• Health Promotion and Education
• Well-Child Visits in the First 15 Months of Life
• Childhood Immunization Status – Combo 3 (children who received various recommended vaccines by two years of age)
• Immunizations for Adolescents
• Colorectal Cancer Screening
• Flu Shots for Adults Ages 50-64
• Breast Cancer Screening
• Chlamydia Screening in Women
• Controlling High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes Care: Blood Pressure Control
• Rating of Health Plan
• Coordination of Care
• Getting Needed Care
• Shared Decision Making

"Consumers should use the 2011 Health Plan Performance Report as a resource to help them navigate the health care system and providers in the state of Maryland, allowing them to be knowledgeable and involved in their health care decisions," says Marilyn Kawamura, President, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc.  "Quality ratings show a health plan's ability to deliver high-quality care to its members and this is something Kaiser Permanente continues to strive for in meeting the care needs of our members."

MHCC's report reflects Kaiser Permanente's commitment to placing the patient at the center of all health care decisions, and connecting patients, primary care physicians and specialists seamlessly through Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect ®, the world's most robust private electronic medical record system.  Together, that patient-centered focus and integrated medical delivery system help Kaiser Permanente achieve superior quality results.

Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States was recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as the highest-rated Medicare health plan in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., No. 17 Medicare plan and No. 33 Commercial health plan in the nation in "NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012."  In October, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States Medicare plan received 4.5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2012.

About Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States

Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States region, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, provides and coordinates complete health care services for almost 500,000 members through 30 medical centers in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.  Founded in 1980, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is a total health organization comprised of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., and the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, P.C., an independent medical group that features approximately 900 physicians who provide or arrange care for patients throughout the area.  Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is considered one of Maryland's "Top HMOs," according to the Maryland Health Care Commission.  The health plan was ranked in the nation's 50 top commercial health plans and 20 top Medicare health plans – and the #1 Medicare plan for Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. – by "NCQA Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012 Private."  For more information about Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States, visit www.kp.org or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/KPMidAtlantic.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States