| COLUMBUS, Ohio, /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare Advantage plans in 86 cities will be recognized for exceptional value in the design of their medical and Part D prescription drug benefits available effective January 1. The 2019 Senior Choice Gold Award recipients were selected from Medicare Advantage plans across 47 states and Puerto Rico based on cost-sharing analysis conducted by HealthMetrix Research Inc. and MedicareNewsWatch.com. The 2019 Senior Choice Gold Award selections include special recognition for plans achieving at least 3.5-star overall ratings for quality and performance as reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). According to HealthMetrix Research Inc. president Alan Mittermaier: “This prestigious consumer award is unique for considering both forward-looking cost-sharing along with the recently announced CMS quality and performance ratings. Each award recipient has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the design of their 2019 Medicare plan benefits, copayments, deductibles and premiums including the Part D prescription drug benefits. Nearly 80% of the award recipients also achieved at least 4-star CMS overall ratings for exceptional performance that raises the bar for all Medicare Advantage competitors. HealthMetrix Research commends those organizations for this distinctive dual recognition.” The award criteria were based on 2019 benefits and cost-sharing features approved by Medicare for the selected plans as published on Medicare Plan Finder (www.Medicare.gov). These include applicable plan copayments, deductibles and premiums adjusted for beneficiaries’ health status (Excellent, Good, Poor) and utilization of healthcare services. The HealthMetrix Research cost-sharing analysis is available at www.MedicareNewsWatch.com. HealthMetrix Research neither recommends nor endorses specific Medicare plans. 2019 Senior Choice Gold Award Recipients Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issues ratings annually on a 1-Star (lowest) to 5-Star (highest) scale. | East | * Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient | | Albany | WellCare* (4 Star) | | Atlanta | Aetna* (4 Star) | | Baltimore | Kaiser Permanente (5 Star) | | Boston | Aetna* (4 Star) | | Bradenton | Humana (4.5 Star) | | Buffalo | WellCare (4 Star) | | Burlington | MVP (4.5 Star) | | Charlotte | Aetna* (4 Star) | | Concord NH | Humana* (4 Star) | | Fort Lauderdale | Aetna Coventry (4.5 Star) | | Fort Myers | WellCare (4 Star) | | Greensboro | Aetna (4 Star) | | Harrisburg | Aetna* (3.5 Star) | | Hartford | Aetna* (4.5 Star) | | Miami | WellCare (4 Star) | | Naples | Humana (4.5 Star) | | Pensacola | WellCare* (4 Star) | | Philadelphia | Aetna Coventry (4.5 Star) | | Pittsburgh | Highmark (4.5 Star) | | Portland ME | Aetna* (4.5 Star) | | Raleigh | FirstCarolinaCare (3.5 Star) | | Richmond VA | Anthem* (4 Star) | | Rochester | WellCare* (4 Star) | | San Juan PR | PMC (4.5 Star) | | Sarasota | WellCare (4 Star) | | Springfield MA | Aetna (4 Star) | | Tallahassee | United HealthCare* (4.5 Star) | | Tampa-St. Petersburg | CarePlus (5 Star) | | Washington DC | Kaiser Permanente* (5 Star) | | West Palm Beach | Simply Healthcare* (4 Star) | | Wilmington DE | Humana* (4 Star) | | Midwest | * Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient | | Baton Rouge | Peoples Health* (4.5 Star) | | Birmingham | Aetna* (3.5 Star) | | Canton | Anthem (3.5 Star) | | Chattanooga | Amerigroup (4 Star) | | Chicago | Humana* (4.5 Star) | | Columbus | Anthem (3.5 Star) | | Des Moines | Aetna Coventry (3.5 Star) | | Detroit | HAP (3.5 Star) | | Fort Wayne | Aetna (4 Star) | | Grand Rapids | Aetna (4 Star) | | Indianapolis | Aetna (4 Star) | | Kansas City | Aetna Coventry* (4 Star) | | Knoxville | Amerigroup (4 Star) | | Lansing | Humana* (3.5 Star) | | Little Rock | Aetna Coventry* (3.5 Star) | | Louisville | Humana* (4.5 Star) | | Madison | Senior Preferred (4.5 Star) | | Memphis | Amerigroup (4 Star) | | Milwaukee | Aetna (4 Star) | | Minneapolis-St. Paul | Blue Cross Blue Shield (4.5 Star) | | Montgomery | Aetna (4 Star) | | New Orleans | Peoples Health* (4.5 Star) | | Oklahoma City | Generations Healthcare (3.5 Star) | | Omaha | Aetna Coventry (3.5 Star) | | Peoria | Aetna Coventry (4 Star) | | St. Louis | Aetna Coventry (4 Star) | | Sioux Falls | Humana (4 Star) | | Tulsa | Generations Healthcare (3.5 Star) | | Wichita | Aetna Coventry* (4 Star) | | West | * Previous year Senior Choice Gold Award recipient | | Bakersfield | Brand New Day* (3.5 Star) | | Billings | Humana (4 Star) | | Boise | Blue Cross (4 Star) | | Denver-Colorado Springs | Humana (4 Star) | | El Paso | Cigna HealthSpring* (4.5 Star) | | Fresno | Health Net (4 Star) | | Honolulu | Humana* (4 Star) | | Houston | Cigna HealthSpring (4.5 Star) | | Las Vegas | Humana United Healthcare (4 Star) | | Los Angeles Metro Los Angeles, Orange
San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura |
Alignment Health Plan (4 Star)
Central Health* (4 Star) | | Oakland | Health Net* (4 Star) | | Phoenix | Aetna (3.5 Star) | | Portland | Humana (4.5 Star) | | Reno | Aetna (3.5 Star) | | Sacramento | Anthem* (4.5 Star) | | Salt Lake City | Molina Healthcare (3.5 Star) | | San Antonio | Aetna* (4 Star) | | San Diego | Alignment Health Plan (4 Star) | | Seattle | Aetna (3.5 Star) | | Tucson | Amerigroup* (4 Star) | Source: HealthMetrix Research Inc. www.MedicareNewsWatch.com Contact: Alan Mittermaier, President - HealthMetrix Research Inc. 614-236-8345  View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/healthmetrix-research-selects-2019-medicare-advantage-plans-for-exceptional-benefit-value--overall-performance-300730970.html
SOURCE HealthMetrix Research Inc. | 
