ORANGE, Calif., May 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medicare Advantage company Alignment Healthcare, Inc., has been recognized for excellence in quality of its Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MAPD) plan, Alignment Health Plan (contract H3815), by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) for the fourth consecutive year.
The 2021 PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality Award goes to MAPDs with at least a 4.5-star Part D summary rating and a perfect 5-star rating on all five PQA medication measures used in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings program. CMS evaluates Medicare plan quality every year based on a 5-star rating system. The award was announced today at PQA’s annual meeting.
“The Pharmacy Quality Alliance is dedicated to improving patient health through medication safety, adherence and appropriate use, and we sincerely congratulate Alignment Healthcare’s continued commitment to excellence in medication use and safety,” said PQA CEO Micah Cost, PharmD, MS.
Taking medications as prescribed, also known as medication adherence, is a key factor for improving clinical outcomes and reducing health care costs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.1 This is especially critical for elderly adults, who are more likely to have multiple chronic conditions that need medical treatment.
“There are many reasons why people don’t take their medications as prescribed by their doctor and we work hard to address each of those reasons – Alignment Healthcare has made it a priority to improve medication adherence through data analytics, access and affordable products for the consumers we serve,” said Dawn Maroney, markets president, Alignment Healthcare. “Our clinical and pharmacy management model uses sophisticated concierge-level interventions to help members take their medications accurately while reducing cost for the individual and the organization at the same time.”
Alignment Health Plan received the PQA Excellence in Quality Award in 2020, 2019 and 2018, when it also received PQA’s Quality Improvement Award, becoming the first health plan to receive both PQA awards in the same year. Alignment also earned high marks from the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute in 2017 for improving medication adherence rates among seniors being treated for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
“Improving chronic disease outcomes and the quality of life for the senior population is of utmost importance at Alignment Healthcare, and I’m proud of our employee culture of dedication and commitment to help our seniors live a healthier lifestyle,” said John Kao, founder and CEO, Alignment Healthcare. “Alignment was founded on a mission to change health care one person at a time, and it is an honor to be recognized by the PQA for delivering on that promise to put the senior first in all that we do.”
PQA has issued annual quality awards since 2011, recognizing the nation’s highest achieving prescription drug plans for performance on PQA quality measures of medication safety and appropriate use. This year, PQA recognized 16 Medicare plan contracts for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication safety and appropriate use.
About Alignment Healthcare
Alignment Healthcare is a consumer-centric platform delivering customized health care in the United States to seniors and those who need it most, the chronically ill and frail, through its Medicare Advantage plans. Alignment Healthcare provides partners and patients with customized care and service where they need it and when they need it, including clinical coordination, risk management and technology facilitation. Alignment Healthcare offers health plan options through Alignment Health Plan and also partners with select health plans to help deliver better benefits at lower costs.
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1 Neiman AB, Ruppar T, Ho M, et al. CDC Grand Rounds: Improving Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease Management — Innovations and Opportunities. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6645a2