Gundersen's insurance plan receives 5-star ranking from Medicare

Gundersen Health System's Senior Preferred HMO has received the highest five-star rating from Medicare.

Each year, Medicare rates how well Medicare health and drug plans perform. The most recent ratings awarded Senior Preferred HMO an overall 5-star rating for 2014—their third year in a row. This is the highest rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid.

Medicare reviewed hundreds of health plans offering both Part C (medical) and Part D (pharmacy) benefits.  Gundersen Health Plan is one of only six nationwide to have received 5-star ratings for three consecutive years.

Medicare's overall plan rating measures the quality of the health and Part D drug services a health plan provides. It monitors 36 health services items and 15 measures related to prescription drug (Part D) services. Measures include how often members get screenings, vaccines and check-ups to help them stay healthy; how often members with chronic conditions get tests and treatments to help manage their conditions; health plan responsiveness and care including member satisfaction ratings; complaints and customer service.

Plan ratings give consumers a summary score—based on data from member surveys, clinician and plan reporting, and regular monitoring activities—to make it easy to compare plans.

For more on Senior Preferred, visit www.seniorpreferred.org.  To learn more about the 5-star rating, go to Medicare's web site at www.medicare.gov.