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For third year in a row, Kaiser Permanente ranks highest in NW in J.D. Power member satisfaction study

March 18, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore., March 17, 2016 – Kaiser Permanente members in Oregon and Washington are more satisfied with their health plans than members of any other health plan in the Northwest region, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Member Health Plan StudySM released today. 

Receiving a total of 734 points on a 1,000-point scale, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest scored 42 points higher than the regional average for overall member satisfaction and 15 points higher than the next highest ranked plan. 

This marks the third consecutive year that Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest has ranked highest in member satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Member Health Plan StudySM. 

"Each day, our employees are guided in everything they do by one question: What is the right thing to do for our members? This rating makes us especially proud, because it represents the voice of our members," said Andrew McCulloch, president, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan of the Northwest. "At a time of turbulence in health care, our members continue to rely on us for high-quality, affordable care." 

The J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Member Health Plan StudySM measures member satisfaction among 135 health plans in 18 regions throughout the United States by examining the experience of a health plan member in key areas such as: coverage and benefits, cost, provider choice, customer service, information and communication, and claims processing. 

In addition to the highest overall score, Kaiser Permanente Health Plan of the Northwest received the region's highest scores for cost, coverage and benefits, and information and communication. 

This study is the most recent in a string of accolades for Kaiser Permanente Northwest. Other highlights include: 

 

  • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest's Medicare and commercial (private) health plans are the highest rated plans in quality and performance among health plans in Oregon and Washington, according to the National Committee on Quality Assurance. This is the fifth year in a row Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest has received the highest rating in Oregon and Washington.* 
  • The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' 2016 star ratings again gave Kaiser Permanente Northwest's Medicare plan in Oregon and Washington the maximum rating a plan can earn: five out of five stars. Kaiser Permanente has earned this honor five years in a row.† 
  • The Society of Thoracic Surgeons gave its highest rating – three stars – for the sixth consecutive year to the Center for Heart and Vascular Care at Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center, based on performance for heart bypass surgery.


Kaiser Permanente's regions in California, Colorado, Georgia and the Mid-Atlantic were also highest ranked in their respective regions in the J.D. Power study. 

Learn more about the study at http://www.jdpower.com. 

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 nonprofit 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 more than 10 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia, including more than 540,000 medical and 250,000 dental members in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, dentists, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical and dental 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: kp.org/share.

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