Independence Blue Cross Earns High Medicare Star Quality Ratings for 2018

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 11 -- Independence Blue Cross issued the following news release:

Independence Blue Cross (Independence) today announced that its Personal Choice 65 PPO and Keystone 65 HMO Medicare Advantage plans received a four Star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2018. The CMS Star Ratings compare Medicare Advantage plans on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest. The ratings reveal which plans are likely to deliver the most overall quality by evaluating several measures, including members' access to care, member satisfaction, the plan's responsiveness, quality of care, and customer service.

"We are extremely proud to have earned four out of five Stars. These ratings reflect our commitment to offering our members high-quality Medicare Advantage plans," said Daphne Klausner, senior vice president of Senior Markets. "A significant portion of the ratings come from surveys through which members rate their experiences with plan benefits, providers, and customer service. We are delighted that our members greatly value our robust network of high-quality doctors and hospitals and feel they have access to the care they need, when they need it."

Independence is continually engaged with its Medicare members and is focused on enhancing its offerings year over year. This year's Star Ratings showed improvements in Independence members' satisfaction, better care coordination, and increased health care quality.

"Achieving five Stars for both HMO and PPO plans is a continued focus for Independence," said Klausner. "Now, with our 2018 zero-premium Medicare Advantage plan in all five counties and the elimination of referrals on all our HMO plans, we are not only in an ideal position to achieve five Stars, but we have confidence that what we are offering some of the best Medicare coverage in the region."

About Independence Blue Cross

Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve more than 8.5 million people in 24 states and the District of Columbia. For almost 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.