Best in clinical quality 8 years in a row

In a comparison of major health plans in California, the national consulting firm Aon Hewitt reported for the eighth year in a row that we consistently outperform other plans in clinical quality — scoring 175% better than the all-plan average in Northern California and 216% better than the all-plan average in Southern California.¹

Recognized for heart, stroke, and diabetes care

As of April 2016, all 341 California physicians honored in the NCQA’s Heart/Stroke Recognition Program were Kaiser Permanente doctors. And 99% of all California physicians honored in the NCQA’s Diabetes Recognition Program were Kaiser Permanente doctors (1,547 out of 1,557).² The programs spotlight doctors who provide high-quality care to patients with diabetes, with cardiovascular disease, or who are recovering from stroke.

Top performers in quality

The Joint Commission’s Top Performer on Key Quality Measures^® program has recognized 14 Kaiser Permanente medical facilities in California as being among the nation’s top-performing hospitals in 2014.³ The program spotlights exemplary performance on key quality measures, including heart attack, heart failure, surgery, and stroke.

A national benchmark for cost efficiency

In a comparison of major health plans in California, the national consulting firm Aon Hewitt reported we’re the most cost efficient — scoring 21% better than the all-plan average in Northern California and 18% better than the all-plan average in Southern California.⁴

Among the highest-rated commercial health plans in California — 2 years in a row

Of the 22 health plans in California reviewed by the NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance), our Northern and Southern California plans were 2 of the highest-rated commercial plans for the second year in a row.⁵

Leading California in 38 effectiveness-of-care measures

In 2016, Kaiser Permanente led California as the top performer in 38 HEDIS^® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) effectiveness-of-care measures — the most of any health plan.⁶ The measures include:

• Prevention and screening
• Comprehensive diabetes care
• Care for cardiovascular and respiratory conditions
• Medication management
• Smoking cessation
• Maternal care

Focus on prevention reduces heart attack rates in Northern California

Using a team-based, preventive approach to manage blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, our caregivers in Northern California have been able to reduce severe heart attacks by an astonishing 72% over the last 15 years. And they’ve reduced all types of heart attacks by 40% across a large and ethnically diverse population.⁷

Ranked highest in customer loyalty — 6 years in a row

For the sixth year in a row, Kaiser Permanente ranked highest in customer loyalty among health insurance providers based on the 2016 Satmetrix^® Consumer Net Promoter Score^® Benchmark Study. Our score of 43 is more than double the industry average.⁸ Surveyed members said they appreciate our service features and the feeling that Kaiser Permanente acts in their personal best interest.

Recognized for excellence in medication safety, 6 years in a row

For the sixth year in a row, Kaiser Permanente has received the Pharmacy Quality Alliance’s annual Excellence in Quality Award. Our 2016 winner — the Kaiser Permanente Medicare plan in California — was honored for achieving the highest level of medication safety and quality.⁹ The plan also earned an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services star quality ratings — the highest possible rating for quality and service.¹⁰

Awarded first Platinum LEED certification for health care in the U.S.

Green, eco-friendly thinking and construction are integral to our San Diego Medical Center. With technology that allows us to produce our own electricity, heat, and cooling, the hospital creates less greenhouse gases and saves water. This has proudly earned us the first Platinum LEED certification for health care in the country.¹¹

Honored for environmentally responsible health care

In 2016, Practice Greenhealth honored Kaiser Permanente with 23 Environmental Excellence Awards.¹² Since the nonprofit organization’s awards program began in 2002, we’ve collected a total of 246 awards for our efforts to reduce waste and prevent pollution.

Our 2016 Practice Greenhealth awards included:

• 10 Greenhealth Partner for Change Awards for superior performance in environmental sustainability
• 5 Greenhealth Emerald Awards for more advanced programs and exemplary scores in a range of categories
• 4 Circles of Excellence Awards for healthy and sustainable food service, water conservation, and environmentally preferable purchasing
• 2 Making Medicine Mercury Free Awards for commitments to eliminate virtually all mercury from facilities
• 2 Partner Recognition Awards for achieving at least a 10% recycling rate and making progress on environmental improvements

¹Aon Hewitt Health Value Initiative™ benchmarking study — Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Aon Hewitt, 2008–2016. Results based on 2015 performance year. Plans with absent clinical quality scores are included when calculating the averages. To get a copy of the Aon Hewitt Health Value Initiative report for your region, contact your account manager.

²Clinician Recognition Directory, National Committee for Quality Assurance, recognition.ncqa.org, accessed April 12, 2016.

³ America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety, The Joint Commission’s Annual Report 2015, The Joint Commission.

⁴See note 1.

⁵ NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2016–2017, National Committee for Quality Assurance, 2016; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., of Northern California — HMO (rated 5 out of 5), Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., of Southern California — HMO (rated 4.5 out of 5); NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015–2016, National Committee for Quality Assurance, 2015.

⁶Kaiser Permanente 2016 HEDIS^® scores. Benchmarks provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Quality Compass^® and represent all lines of business. Kaiser Permanente combined region scores were provided by the Kaiser Permanente Department of Care and Service Quality. The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass 2016 and is used with the permission of NCQA. Quality Compass 2016 includes certain CAHPS^® data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass^® and HEDIS^® are registered trademarks of NCQA. CAHPS^® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

⁷Solomon, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, August 9, 2016; Yeh, The New England Journal of Medicine, June 10, 2010.

⁸“Nordstrom, Samsung, USAA, Cricket, Kaiser Permanente, and Walmart Pharmacy Lead Their Sectors in 2016 Net Promoter^® Benchmarks from Satmetrix,” Satmetrix press release, June 28, 2016. NPS, Net Promoter, and Net Promoter Score are registered trademarks of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company, and Fred Reichheld. Visit satmetrix.com/nps-benchmarks/.

⁹“Pharmacy Quality Alliance Recognizes Six Medicare Plan Contracts for Excellence and Significant Improvement in Medication Safety Based on CMS’ Medicare Star Ratings,” PQAalliance.org, May 19, 2016.

¹⁰Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next. In California, Kaiser Permanente is an HMO plan and a Cost plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Kaiser Permanente depends on contract renewal. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Plan Management System, Plan Ratings 2015. Kaiser Permanente contract #H0524.

¹¹U.S. Green Building Council, Inc., LEED 2009 for Healthcare New Construction and Major Renovation Rating System, updated July 2016.

¹²Award Winners, PracticeGreenhealth.org, accessed May 25, 2016.

To learn more, contact your account manager.

© Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.