To health: Medicare Advantage now offered by KP Santa Cruz Cnty.

Medicare eligible residents in Santa Cruz County will soon have access to Kaiser Permanente’s unique blend of high quality, affordable health care combined with award-winning health plan coverage. Kaiser Permanente is proud to announce it will begin offering a Medicare Advantage plan in Santa Cruz County, with enrollment starting October 15. Coverage will be effective January 1, 2019.

“We are pleased to offer Santa Cruz County residents our top-rated Medicare Advantage health plan,” said Irene Chavez, Kaiser Permanente senior vice president and area manager. “Part of Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve, and we are excited to be offering our integrated model of care to seniors in this community.”

Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare Advantage has been the highest rated Medicare health plan in California for seven consecutive years, earning 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from 2012 through 2018.

Santa Cruz County members will have access to the full range of health care benefits plus services at medical offices in downtown Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville. All three medical offices provide primary care, and the Watsonville and Scotts Valley facilities feature specialty care services. In addition, all three facilities offer technology that facilitates telemedicine1 visits and the Watsonville and Scotts Valley offices provide laboratory, pharmacy and radiology services. Local hospital services and inpatient care are provided by Watsonville Community Hospital as well as at nearby Kaiser Permanente medical centers in Santa Clara and San Jose.

Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare Advantage health plan offers comprehensive medical services and benefits beyond basic Medicare benefits, including Part D prescription drug coverage.

“We know our Medicare eligible members and residents in Santa Cruz County have been eager to start enrolling in the Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage plan and we are making it easy for them to sign up,” said Efren Rosas, MD, Kaiser Permanente’s physician-in-chief for the county. “We first started providing care here in 2017 and we are so happy to now offer care to the Santa Cruz County senior community.”

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Kaiser Permanente is scheduling several community meetings to share information about its new Santa Cruz County Medicare health plan. Visit www.kp.org/SantaCruz for a complete list of locations and times. There are also a variety of other ways to learn more about Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage enrollment, including:

• Enroll online: Visit www.kp.org/medicare to learn more.
• Speak with a Medicare specialist: Call (866) 973-4588 (TTY 711), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week.
###liwww.kp.org/medicare or by calling (866) 973-4588 (TTY 711), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week.

To be eligible for this Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan coverage, applicants must be 65 years or older or disabled, reside in Santa Cruz County, and be enrolled in Medicare parts A and B. For those enrolling in Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans after December 31, 2018, coverage will begin the first of the month following receipt of enrollment.

1These features are available when you get care at Kaiser Permanente facilities. To find out if telephone or video visits are available to you and right for your condition, call the appointment and advice phone number in your area. You’ll need to download the My Doctor Online mobile app to have a video visit.

Kaiser Permanente is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Kaiser Permanente depends on contract renewal. You must reside in the Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan service area in which you enroll. Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings call (866) 973-4588 (TTY 711).