Press Release

HOUSTON (Jan. 23, 2018) – This month, KelseyCare Advantage, a Medicare Advantage plan offered to eligible Houston-area residents and rated 5 out of 5 stars by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the 2018 plan year, celebrates a milestone, having delivered high-quality care to members for 10 years. KelseyCare Advantage was first offered to eligible Houston-area residents in 2008 with an enrollment of less than 2,200 members that year. A decade later, KelseyCare Advantage manages care for more than 32,000 members.

“KelseyCare Advantage has seen tremendous growth in the last 10 years – growth we are proud of because it is indicative of our quality of care and the high level of service we provide our patients,” said Donnie Aga, M.D., Medical Director for KelseyCare Advantage. “Our patients have always been at the center of everything we do to improve our plan, which is why I believe we have been able to maintain a 4- to 5-star CMS rating. It’s the reason why we’ve seen exponential growth in 10 years, and it’s the reason why we have a high renewal rate every year.”

KelseyCare Advantage members have access to the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic network of providers and their affiliates. Known as the nation’s first accredited Accountable Care organization by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Kelsey-Seybold manages care for all KelseyCare Advantage members, focusing on the tenets of the “Triple Aim” – better quality, improved health, and lower cost. It is this partnership between these two organizations that has helped KelseyCare Advantage achieve the highest possible star rating from CMS in 2014, 2017, and 2018.

“At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the healthcare marketplace, to have an organization reach the 10-year milestone is significant. It means that we’re doing something right. Evidence-based care, appropriate levels of care in the right setting with the most appropriate provider, means better outcomes for our members, and our focus on prevention and compliance means lower total medical cost,” said Marnie Matheny, president of KelseyCare Advantage. “We are so proud of this health plan and all that we have accomplished in the last 10 years. I believe that the future is bright and look forward to continuing to serve our members for the next 10 years and beyond.”

KelseyCare Advantage is the only 5-star rated Medicare Advantage plan in Texas for the 2018 plan year. Achieving five stars is challenging and is the highest overall rating for quality and service. 

KelseyCare Advantage has held a contract with Medicare since 2008, and currently serves more than 30,000 Texans in Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery Counties and portions of Galveston County. The plan is affiliated with Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, a group of Houston-based physicians who have been serving families in surrounding communities for more than 65 years. KelseyCare Advantage plans provide all Medicare Part A and B coverage, and some plans include Part D prescription drug coverage, to Houston-area Medicare beneficiaries who want more coverage than traditional Medicare provides.

Five-star excellence means that Medicare-eligible residents in these areas can enroll in a KelseyCare Advantage plan until Nov. 30, 2018 – a special enrollment period that only applies to 5-star plans. 

Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Star ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next. To learn more about KelseyCare Advantage, or about the Medicare Star Quality Ratings, visit: kelseycareadvantage.com or medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).