Headlines:

How to Maximize Your Medicare Plan in 2022

Don’t Ignore Irregular Heartbeat

Participate from Home: A Study on Heart Health and Detection of AFib

Thyroid 101: Getting Down to Basics

Avoid Body Drought — How to Prevent Dehydration

Need a Helping Hand? Massage Benefits Reach Beyond Relaxation

5 Ways to Help Victims of Crime Cope With Trauma

Dietary Supplements Can Support Your Immune System

Epilepsy Tragedies Stir Reform for Emergency Personnel

Sanitize Your Nose: Help Protect Yourself and Others from Infection

Building a Better Bridge From Hospital to Home Health Care

Cancer Clinical Trials See Shortage of Participants

Tips to Help Older Adults Stay Apart, Not Alone During COVID-19

Don’t Let Diabetes Wipe That Smile From Your Face

Fitness Has a New Focus During Medicare Open Enrollment Time

“Keep Up The Rates” Campaign Encourages Vaccination Amidst COVID-19

Stem Cells Research

Cancer Center Finds Smokeless Tobacco May Help You Quit

Health Officials Still Focused on COVID, Despite Rise in Opiod Epidemic

Oral Health Tips for a Timeless Smile

Enjoy Pregnancy Without Foot Pain

Best Tips to a Health Lifestyle You Need to Understand

Don’t Let COVID-19 Impact Your Credit Score

Clinical Trials Seek Cancer Patients

Your Blood’s Amazing Trip Through Your Vascular System

Students’ Mental Health Must Figure in Plans to Restart Classes

Do we need a dedicated global agency that would deal with covid 19 and other future pandemics?

Professional Diseases

Drug-Free Device Simplifies Sinus Pain Relief

Should Your Exercise Routine Include Massage?

Need More Treatment Options? Cancer Clinical Trials May Help

About Palliative Therapies To Treat Mesothelioma

5 Tips to Practice Good Public Hygiene

Should animals be used in research?

Dry Eye: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Mental Health of Students Must Figure in Restarting Classes

NFL Superstar and Family Tackle High Blood Pressure

5 Tips to Save Money While Getting Quality Health Care

Study Shows Older Americans Are Coping Best During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Why Getting a Flu Shot Makes Sense

Tips to Help You Avoid Cold and Flu All Year

How to Safely Select Your 2022 Medicare Plan During The COVID-19 Pandemic

HIV/AIDS: What Methods of Treatment Can the Modern Medicine Offer?

Is Your Family at Risk for Hypothyroidism?

Three Tips to Avoid Heartburn

New Treatment Shows Signs of Curbing Cancer Growth

Should the State Regulate Social Media Use to Prevent Its Negative Impact on Mental Health and Social Media Addiction?

Control Your Blood Pressure, Protect Your Body Health

Ultrasound Technology Helps Clean and Whiten Teeth With Braces

Novel Cell Therapy May Improve Heart Failure Symptoms

How to Maximize Your Medicare Plan in 2023

Should unhealthy people be refused emergency organ transplants due to their lifestyle choices?

Patty Duke Family Reunites for Dinner: Medicare on the Menu

Fitness Has a New Focus During Medicare Open Enrollment Time

Arm Your Medicine Cabinet for Cold and Flu Season

Can’t Stop Smoking? Protect Your Smile

Homeopathic Medicine

Expand Your Self-Care Horizon with Quantum Energy

Program Teaches EMS Workers How to Respond to Epilepsy

Got Diabetes? Take Your Multivitamin

Why Getting a Flu Shot Makes Sense

Yes, Most Insurance Plans Cover Chiropractic Care

Artificial Coma

Three Things Every Contact Lens Wearer Should Know

Can Chiropractic Care Help Treat Obesity?

Is Your Eye Makeup Making You Sick? What You Need to Know

Cell Therapy May Improve Heart Failure Symptoms

New Law Makes It Easier to Save on Prescription Costs

Should Abortion be Legal?

Ex-Navy SEAL Finds New Mission With Chiropractic Care

Nighttime Skin Care Tips for Younger-Looking Skin

Understanding Cancer Research Studies and Evaluating Outcomes

Breakthrough Medical Technologies Save and Improve Millions of Lives

Expand Your Self-Care Horizon with Quantum Energy Technology

Three Ways the Oil Spill May Threaten Human Health

Healthy Eating for a Happy Heart

Free Public Senior Exercise Classes on Facebook, YouTube Help Seniors Stay Fit

Music and Dance Drives New Blood Pressure Campaign

It’s Not Too Late to Vaccinate — Get Your Flu Vaccine Today

Your Body’s Natural Health With Quantum Energy

Alternative Medicine

Lifesaving Wearable Saves Single Father from Cardiac Arrest

Yoga, Acupuncture and Massage: All Can Help Relieve Chronic Pain

6 Actions to Control Asthma

Channel Your Body’s Natural Health With Quantum Energy

What Does Erectile Dysfunction Mean for Your Health?

Tips for Winning at Weight Loss this New Year

Should unconventional forms of medicine be part of national healthcare?

Sleep Apnea May Rouse Other Critical Diseases

American Heart Association Issues to Live Fierce

Is Your Migraine On the Rebound?

Company Continues Foray Into Biologics, Stem Cells As Next Generation Therapy

Nanotechnology Gives Best CBD Products a Boost

Should Euthanasia be Illegal?

Chiropractic Offers Athletes Drug-Free Pain Relief

3 Tips for Winning at Weight Loss this New Year

What Would You Have to Give Up to Pay for An Unexpected Hospital Visit?

Is Your Pain Medication Making Your Migraines Worse?

Seven Ways to Support Healthy Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

4 Weight Loss Tips From a Woman Who Lost 140 Pounds

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Finding the Best Medicare Advantage Plan
medicare

Date

Did you know Medicare has a rating system that evaluates health plans based on dozens of quality measures and patient experiences?

Very few plans receive the top Medicare rating. Out of 563 Medicare Advantage plans for 2013, only 11 plans with prescription drug benefits earned the top five-star rating. Six of those 11 were Kaiser Permanente plans.

“We are a top plan because we focus on our patients’ health,” said Jed Weissberg, senior vice president for Hospitals, Quality and Care Delivery at Kaiser Permanente. “We help our patients to exercise, eat well, maintain a healthy weight and get regular check-ups. Walking, for example, can have remarkable therapeutic value—cutting the rate of new cases of diabetes by half or more.”

Part of staying healthy is having a health plan that covers all of your medical needs. For seniors selecting a Medicare plan, this means finding one that has the right doctor and provides the care, treatment and pharmacy benefits you need. To help Medicare-eligible beneficiaries select a high-quality plan, Kaiser Permanente offers four tips.

1.    Know your health plan’s star quality rating. A 2011 Harris Interactive survey found that only one in five Medicare-eligible seniors was familiar with Medicare Star Quality Ratings. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services assign an overall star rating to each Medicare plan for how well it performs. The Medicare ratings range from one star (lowest rating) to five stars (highest rating). The system rates plans on preventive care, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy care.

2.    Use the Medicare ratings to find a quality plan. The highest-rated plans feature well-coordinated, patient-centered care. When seniors suffer from chronic illness or require hospitalization, high-quality plans initiate best practices and treatment to deliver excellent follow-up care.

3.    Look for customer service and responsiveness to your needs. The very best health care plans give patients support systems that include making online appointments, getting lab results electronically and providing secure email to their doctors.

4.    Seniors can choose five-star excellence almost any time of year. Medicare’s Special Enrollment Period allows seniors to enroll in a 5-star plan throughout the year. Seniors who become eligible for Medicare as they turn 65 should enroll during the three-month period prior to and after their 65th birthday. After this initial enrollment period, they may be subject to higher premiums or late penalties if there has been a gap in their coverage. To find out the latest 2013 ratings, visit medicare any time after October 11. Plan performance summary star ratings are assessed each year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and may change from one year to the next.

Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
LinkedIn
Email

More
articles

Join DBN Today!

Let DBN help guide you to success!

Doctors Business Network offers everything new and existing health care providers need to establish and build a successful career! Sign up with DBN today and let us help you succeed!

DBN Blog