Oct. 16, 2017, at 9:45 a.m.
Washington, D.C. –
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in healthcare rankings,
today released the 2018 Best Medicare Plans. The new ratings are a resource for
Medicare beneficiaries and their families searching for the best coverage
options during the annual open-enrollment period, which began October 15 and
runs through December 7, 2017.
The latest Best Medicare Plans include Honor
Rolls of the Best Medicare
Advantage Plans and Best Part D
Plans, which highlight insurance companies that consistently offer
highly rated health coverage to Medicare beneficiaries, who are typically age
65 or older. The plan ratings and Honor Rolls are offered through the U.S. News Health Insurance site,
which helps health insurance buyers of all kinds navigate the options available
to them.
"Medicare beneficiaries and their
caregivers may face an overwhelming number of options when deciding on the
right health insurance plan that fits their specific needs," said Ben
Harder, chief of health analysis for U.S. News. "Best Medicare Plans was
designed to take the confusion out of finding a plan in order to help consumers
make fully informed decisions when it comes to identifying the best coverage
for them and their families."
The U.S. News ratings give up to 5 stars for
each Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plan available in each state.
Insurance companies made the Honor Roll if either their Medicare Advantage or
their Part D plans received an average rating of 4.5 stars or higher across all
plans in a given state. Companies that consistently offer highly rated Medicare
Advantage plans in multiple states include Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield,
Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Coventry Health Care, Essence Healthcare, Health Alliance
Medicare, Health Partners, Kaiser Permanente, Martin's Point Generations
Advantage, Medica Insurance Company, MVP HEALTH CARE, Paramount Elite,
Providence Health Assurance, Senior Preferred, and UPMC Health Plan. For Part D
plans, which cover prescription drugs, 17 states have at least one insurer that
made the U.S. News list. This year, 15 of the 17 plans on the Medicare Part D
Honor Roll are Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.
U.S. News used plan-ratings data from the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify the Best
Medicare Advantage Plans and Best Medicare Part D Plans. CMS rates individual
plans on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, factoring in member satisfaction, customer
service and other criteria. The U.S. News methodology analyzes
all plans offered by an insurer in a given state.
The Best Medicare Plans ratings serve the
broader U.S. News mission to provide trusted information and rankings that help
Americans navigate complex health care issues, from finding health insurance
and doctors, to hospitals and nursing homes.
Media Contact: Maria
Santucci, 202-955-2031, msantucci@usnews.com.
About
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a digital news
and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed
decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education,
Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion, usnews.com provides consumer advice,
rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout
all stages of life. More than 30 million people visit usnews.com each month for research and
guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
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