Pharmacy Quality Alliance awards 10 Medicare plan contracts for medication ratings

A small fraction of Medicare drug plans nationwide is being recognized by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) for top performances in medication safety and quality, according to a recent news release.

PQA recently announced that just 10 Medicare Part D plan contracts earned its 2026 quality awards, representing only 1.6% of the 613 eligible plans. The annual honors recognize health plans that demonstrate exceptional performance or significant improvement in medication-related quality measures.

Plans were recognized because they performed very well or improved on medication quality measurements. These include metrics such as adherence to medications for chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, as well as efforts to reduce the use of high-risk medications in older adults. Together, these measures aim to ensure patients not only receive prescriptions but also take them correctly and avoid preventable complications.

The awards are based on the 2026 Medicare Part D Star Ratings issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which evaluates plans on a five-star scale. These ratings play a major role in how beneficiaries choose coverage and can influence plan funding and enrollment. Plans that achieve four or more stars are generally considered high-performing, while five-star plans represent the highest level of quality.

“Ensuring high-quality medication use and access remains a priority for health plans, care providers and the Medicare Part D program,” Micah Cost, Pharm.D., MS, CAE, CEO of PQA, said in the news release. “PQA is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is proud to recognize this year’s awardees for their demonstrated commitment to excellence in providing exceptional care for their Medicare members.”

The complete list of recipients is listed below:

Excellence in Quality Award – Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MAPD) (CMS Contract Number and Name)

• Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC (H9686 – Alignment Health Plan)
• LMC Family Holdings, LLC (H4286 – Leon Health, Inc.)
• Longevity Health Founders, LCC (H5374 – Longevity Health Plan)
• Longevity Health Founders, LLC (H9590 – Longevity Health)

Excellence in Quality Award – Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (CMS Contract Number and Name)

• Capital Blue Cross (S8067 – Avalon Insurance Company)
• HealthPartners, Inc. (S1822 – HealthPartners)
• Independent Health Association, Inc. (S4501 – Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions PDP)
• Lifetime Healthcare, Inc. (S3521 – Excellus Health Plan, Inc.)

Quality Improvement Award – Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (CMS Contract Number and Name)

• Longevity Health Founders, LLC (H1644 – Longevity Health Plan)

Quality Improvement Award – Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (CMS Contract Number and Name)

• Horizon Mutual Holdings, Inc. (S5993 – Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey)

The recipients will be recognized in person at the 2026 PQA Annual Meeting on May 13 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The PQA awards highlight the growing focus on measuring healthcare quality through data-driven performance metrics rather than process alone. Medicare Part D plans are evaluated annually, and their Star Ratings can shift based on even small changes in patient outcomes, adherence rates, and medication safety indicators. Plans that improve their scores often invest in better care coordination, pharmacy outreach programs and patient education efforts to help members take medications correctly. As prescription drug use continues to rise among older adults, especially those managing multiple chronic conditions, these quality measures play an increasingly important role in preventing avoidable complications and improving overall population health outcomes.