It seems like every consumer product these days is rated on a one to five-star scale. Visit your favorite shopping website or store and you cannot help to notice that almost every item imaginable is rated using this star system. But many people do not realize that Medicare Advantage plans are also rated on a five-star scale, reflecting their quality and performance.
So, what makes a Medicare Advantage plan five stars? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that administers Medicare, reviews Advantage plans each year. Its ratings are based on factors such as: how a plan helps members stay healthy; how it assists in managing long-term health conditions; responsiveness and care; achievement of member satisfaction; and overall customer service. Given the importance of these factors toward an individual’s health, we think every senior should know their Advantage plan’s star rating and keep track of how it changes from year to year.
Here in the Capital Region, we are fortunate to have two insurers offering five-star plans to Medicare beneficiaries in 2021. This is no small matter, as nationally the CMS only awarded 21 insurers the coveted five-star rating this year. In fact, being awarded a five-star rating is such a remarkable achievement, that CMS permits Medicare beneficiaries living in a five-star plan’s area one opportunity to enroll in the plan anytime during the year.
With several five-star plans available in the Capital Region, and the opportunity to join not limited by an enrollment period, no senior in our area should settle for an Advantage plan that they are unhappy with or that does not meet the highest standards. If you feel that your Medicare Advantage experience is not measuring up or could use improvement, please contact Bruce or Logan at Blue Chip in Saratoga at 518-584-8057 or visit our website at www.1bluechip.com.
We would be happy to walk you through the five-star coverage options available in our region and answer any questions on this important topic.
