More than half of Medicare Advantage plans are pretty high quality, according to new Obama administration data.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released 2017 data on star ratings for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans. The agency provides a rating of one to five stars based on the quality of care the plan provides.
It found more high-quality plans for 2017, with 68 percent of Medicare Advantage plans receiving four or five stars. In 2009, only 17 percent of Medicare Advantage plans had four or five stars.
For Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, about 41 percent of 2017 plans will have four to five stars compared to 27 percent in 2009, the agency said.
The goal of the star ratings is to give Medicare beneficiaries an idea of the quality of the plan they are signing up for before Medicare starts open enrollment Oct. 15. Medicare Advantage enables Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in a private plan, and Part D offers a prescription drug plan.
The star ratings are based on more than 40 quality and performance measures.
“Plans that are rated higher deliver a higher level of care, such as improving the coordination of care, helping enrollees to manage diabetes or other chronic conditions more efficiently, screening for and preventing illnesses, or making sure people get much needed prescription drugs,” said Sean Cavanaugh, CMS deputy administrator, in a blog post Wednesday.
Insurers have begun offering more Medicare Advantage plans in recent years due to its profitability. More than 30 percent of Medicare enrollees use Medicare Advantage.
