4.5-star rating reflects the expert medicine, seamless care, and outstanding service provided to more than 1.5 million Medicare Advantage members in CA
By Elissa Harrington, Senior Media Relations & PR Representative, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
OAKLAND, Calif. October 27, 2026 — Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare Advantage health plan in California is among the highest rated plans in the state, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 2027-star ratings.
Kaiser Permanente California earned 4.5 stars. The top rating is 5 stars.
Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare HMO health plan in California has been highly rated for 17 consecutive years (2011-2027) and is tied for the highest performing health plan in the state.
“Every day our Northern California care teams deliver personalized, compassionate care to our Medicare health plan members, helping them lead healthy and productive lives,” said Mike Bowers, FACHE, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region, which serves more than 1.5 million Medicare health plan members. “We’re proud to be recognized nationally for the high-quality care and outstanding service we provide.”
This high rating reflects the expert medicine, seamless care and outstanding service Kaiser Permanente California and all Kaiser Permanente health plans provide to their Medicare health plan members. For the third year in a row, all Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans are rated 4 stars or higher.
“Our physicians, nurses, and care teams in Kaiser Permanente Northern California are committed to helping our Medicare health plan members achieve better health outcomes through coordinated, personalized, high-quality care,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “These ratings reflect the expertise of our teams and their dedication to supporting the health and well-being of our older adult populations.”
What CMS ratings measure
Every year, CMS publishes Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D) ratings. Each year, CMS rates Medicare health and prescription drug plans using a 1-to-5-star scale. The ratings help consumers compare the quality of available plans.
CMS evaluates several key areas to determine star ratings:
- How well health plans help members stay healthy
- How well plans manage ongoing health conditions
- Member experiences
- Customer service
- Access to care
- Pharmacy services
Enrolling in a Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan
Open enrollment for all 2027 Medicare health plans begins on October 15 and runs through December 7, 2026. Kaiser Permanente is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Kaiser Permanente depends on contract renewal.
Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the CMS star ratings and Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plans by visiting kp.org/medicarestars.
About CMS
CMS is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.9 million members in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.
