Press Release
October 21, 2021
For more Information Contact
Steve Esack
Press Secretary
Public School Employees’ Retirement System
Phone: 717-720-4770
e-mail: stesack@pa.gov
CMS Awards Highest 5 Star Rating to the Prescription Drug Program of the Pa. PSERS Health Options Program
CMS Award Recognizes Excellence in Customer Care and Service
HARRISBURG – The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded one of its top consumer-based awards to the prescription drug program operated by the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS).
CMS awarded its highest rating, 5 Stars, to the Prescription Drug Employer Group Waiver Plan offered by PSERS Health Options Program (HOP) for the upcoming 2022 calendar year.
“Since the beginning of the HOP in 1994, PSERS Board and Staff had a goal to create a health insurance program that is both cost-effective and responsive to our members needs while providing an excellent level of customer care and service. We have clearly reached that goal. Our members are our priority, and we are honored to receive this rating from CMS,” said Chris Santa Maria, PSERS Board Chairman.
CMS’ Medicare Star Rating program rates Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug Programs (PDP) based on a number of metrics around quality and performance. Rating criteria is based on a 1- to 5-point system. The ratings help members select the best plans for themselves or their families.
This marks the first time PSERS earned a 5 Star Rating in the 15-year history of offering a Medicare Part D program. The HOP PDP program has a history of earning high ratings of 4.0 to 4.5 rating annually since 2019 for overall service and quality of the prescription drug plan that retirees voluntarily pay for through monthly premiums. PSERS’ latest CMS Star rating was based in part on how our members rate the plan’s services and care, and how well our plan helps our members use recommended and safe prescription medications.
“This rating recognizes the dedication and tireless efforts of PSERS staff, our consulting partners BluePeak Advisors and Segal Consultants, and operational vendors OptumRx and Trustmark to provide superior levels of service to our HOP members,” said Peter Camacci, PSERS Director of the Health Insurance Office. “We continuously look to identify ways to improve the health plan and provide high quality benefits and services to achieve a high level of member satisfaction.”
About PSERS Health Options Program
PSERS HOP Prescription Drug Plan is a voluntary, exclusive benefit for our retirees and their families. PSERS HOP Drug Program is fully funded through participating member premiums and provides coverage to over 96,000 retirees. As of this writing, HOP enrollment has over 123,000 covered lives offering medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage & fitness program.
About the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System
PSERS, founded in 1917, began operations in 1919 to oversee a statewide defined benefit pension plan for public school employees. PSERS' role expanded upon the passage of Act 5 of 2017 to include oversight of two new hybrid options consisting of defined benefit and defined contribution (DC) components and a stand-alone DC plan. As of June 30, 2021, PSERS had net assets of $72.5 billion and a membership of about 256,000 active, 240,000 retired school employees and 26,000 vested inactive members.