Alignment Health Joins Elite Group for Senior Medication Safety

ORANGE, CA – May 14, 2026 – In a powerful affirmation of its clinical excellence, Alignment Health Plan has been named one of only four Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans in the United States to receive the 2026 PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality Award. This distinction, granted by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), places the California-based insurer in the top 1.6% of the 613 eligible plans nationwide, highlighting a rigorous and successful approach to medication management for seniors.

The recognition marks the seventh time Alignment has been honored by the PQA for its quality, reinforcing its position as a national leader in a fiercely competitive market. The award is not merely symbolic; it reflects a tangible, data-backed commitment to ensuring the safe and effective use of medications for a vulnerable population, many of whom manage multiple chronic conditions.

“We are incredibly honored that Alignment Health Plan has once again been recognized by PQA as a national leader in medication safety and adherence,” said Dawn Maroney, CEO of Alignment Health Plan, in a statement. “Being one of only four MAPD plans to earn the 2026 Excellence in Quality Award reinforces our mission to put seniors first.”

The Anatomy of Excellence

Achieving the PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality Award is a monumental task that demands near-perfect performance across critical pharmacy metrics. To qualify, a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plan must earn an overall Part D summary rating of at least 4.5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). More challenging, however, is the requirement to achieve a perfect 5-star rating on all five PQA medication measures that feed into the CMS star ratings program.

These five measures represent the cornerstone of effective chronic disease management:

• Medication Adherence for Diabetes Medications
• Medication Adherence for Hypertension (RAS Antagonists)
• Medication Adherence for Cholesterol (Statins)
• Medication Therapy Management Program Completion Rate
• Statin Use in Persons with Diabetes

Perfecting these metrics requires a system that not only dispenses medication but also ensures patients take it correctly and consistently. For 2026, Alignment Health Plan (under contract H9686) shares this exclusive honor with just three other organizations: LMC Family Holdings, LLC, and two contracts held by Longevity Health Founders, LLC. This small, elite group underscores the difficulty of achieving such a high standard of pharmacy care.

A Legacy of Quality and Advocacy

Alignment Health’s 2026 award is not an isolated event but the continuation of a long-standing pattern of high performance. The company’s CMS Star Ratings history reveals a consistent focus on quality. For 2026, 100% of its Medicare Advantage members are enrolled in plans rated 4 stars or higher for the second consecutive year. Its largest contract, a California HMO representing over 80% of its membership, has maintained a 4-star or higher rating for an impressive nine straight years.

This commitment to quality is so ingrained that the company has actively fought to protect its ratings. In a notable 2025 case, Alignment Healthcare successfully challenged CMS in federal court over a calculation error, resulting in its Arizona HMO plan’s rating being elevated from 3.5 to 4 stars. The legal victory ensured that all its members remained in high-rated plans, demonstrating a proactive and assertive stance on quality assurance.

“This recognition reflects our unwavering focus on quality and our commitment to delivering safe, effective, and high-quality pharmacy care for the seniors who place their trust in us,” commented Ruby Liu, senior vice president of pharmacy at Alignment Health. “Our team remains firmly committed to continuous improvement as expectations for pharmacy quality continue to rise.”

The Engine Room: Technology and Personalized Care

Behind these accolades is a sophisticated operational engine powered by proprietary technology and a deeply personalized care model. At the heart of Alignment's strategy is its virtual application, AVA®, a data analytics platform that processes vast datasets through more than 160 artificial intelligence models. AVA® unifies member information to predict health risks, identify care gaps, and enable the company’s 24/7 concierge care team to intervene proactively.

This technology is the key to a data-driven pharmacy program that moves beyond simple reminders. By stratifying members based on health status and social needs, AVA® allows care teams to anticipate who is at risk for non-adherence and why. This predictive capability enables “concierge clinical interventions” where pharmacists and care coordinators address the root causes of non-adherence, whether they are cost, transportation, or a simple misunderstanding of a complex regimen.

The results are striking. One internal program focused on members with diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol improved medication adherence rates by an average of 18.5 percentage points. This initiative single-handedly shifted the company’s performance from below the national average to significantly above it, directly contributing to its perfect 5-star scores on PQA adherence measures.

Beyond Ratings: The Real-World Impact on Senior Health

The importance of Alignment’s achievement extends far beyond corporate awards. Medication non-adherence is a pervasive and dangerous crisis in senior healthcare. According to health experts, approximately 40% of older adults with chronic conditions do not take their medications as prescribed. This can be due to forgetfulness, complex regimens involving multiple drugs (polypharmacy), high costs, or physical limitations.

The consequences are severe, leading to the worsening of chronic diseases, preventable hospitalizations, and an estimated $100 billion to $300 billion in avoidable healthcare costs annually in the U.S. By mastering medication adherence, Alignment is directly confronting this crisis.

For a senior managing diabetes, taking cholesterol and blood pressure medication as prescribed is not just about a star rating; it is about preventing a heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. It is about maintaining independence and quality of life. The perfect 5-star rating in these areas signifies that Alignment’s members are receiving the support they need to stay healthier and out of the hospital, which is the ultimate goal of any health plan.

Quality as a Decisive Competitive Edge

In the rapidly growing and increasingly crowded Medicare Advantage market, quality ratings are a powerful currency. High CMS Star Ratings are not just a badge of honor; they are a critical driver of business growth. Research shows that a one-star improvement in a plan's rating can increase enrollment by 8% to 12% year-over-year. Plans with 4 stars or more receive significant quality bonus payments from CMS, which they can reinvest to offer more attractive benefits like lower premiums, reduced co-pays, or expanded dental and vision coverage.

Furthermore, plans that achieve a 5-star rating gain a significant market advantage: a year-round Special Enrollment Period that allows beneficiaries to switch into their plan at almost any time. This makes top-rated plans like those offered by Alignment a continuous magnet for new members.

By consistently achieving elite quality status, as evidenced by the PQA award and its history of high star ratings, Alignment Health has built a formidable strategic differentiator. This demonstrated excellence builds trust with seniors and their families, enhances brand reputation, and signals stability and reliability to investors. In an industry where trust is the ultimate currency, such validated performance serves as both a shield and a sword, defending market share while aggressively carving out new territory.