Awards and Recognition

At UPMC for Life, we pride ourselves on quality and are pleased to have been recognized with honors like these:

For the third year in a row, UPMC for Life is #1 for Member Satisfaction Among Medicare Advantage Plans in Pennsylvania by J.D. Power

UPMC for Life has earned the highest score in Pennsylvania in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study℠ of members’ satisfaction with their Medicare Advantage health plan experience. This is the third consecutive year that UPMC for Life has received this designation.

Results are based on award eligible plans in Pennsylvania by J.D. Power. UPMC for Life received the highest score in Pennsylvania in the J.D. Power 2023-2025 U.S. Medicare Advantage Satisfaction Studies of members’ satisfaction with their Medicare Advantage health plan experience. Visit visit jdpower.com/awards for more details 

U.S. News & World Report

UPMC for Life was named a “Best Insurance Company for Medicare Advantage” in Pennsylvania for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report (10-16-24).

To determine the top-rated insurance companies, U.S. News & World Report consulted with Medicare experts to identify and weigh the most important quality measures for Medicare Advantage consumers. They applied these weights to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and then adjusted for enrollment. The best Medicare Advantage plans are chosen for providing good value, offering high-quality care, and offering an appealing set of benefits while keeping out-of-pocket costs low.

UPMC for Life has been named a “Best Insurance Company for Medicare Advantage” in Pennsylvania for 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

4.5 out of 5 stars from Medicare for 2025

UPMC for Life has earned 4.5 out of a 5 overall star rating for its HMO and PPO plans from Medicare for 2024. The Medicare star ratings are based on how well plans deliver medical coverage, prescription drug services, and customer service. The score also includes how current members rate their satisfaction with their plan.

Every year Medicare evaluates plans on a 5-star rating system. For more detailed information about how Medicare calculates its star ratings you can see their fact sheet. You can use the Medicare star ratings to compare our quality and performance to other Medicare plans.

NCQA Accreditation

UPMC for Life is also Accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). You can view a list of rankings by state by visiting the NCQA website.

NCQA Health Plan Accreditation is based on clinical performance and customer experience measures. Plans are evaluated using measures such as quality management and improvement, network management, members’ rights and responsibilities, member connection, and more.

Award-winning customer service

Stevie Awards

UPMC Health Plan earned seven 2025 Stevie® Awards, including the Customer Service Award of the Year (Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Related Industries category). UPMC Health Plan also earned three Gold Stevie Awards:   

• Customer Service Employer of the Year                                            
• Customer Service Department of the Year                                     
• Enrollment & COB for Best Back Office Customer Service Team of the Year

The Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development, and sales professionals across organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry. Winners were selected by a panel of judges that were recruited worldwide. Each entry is reviewed by at least five volunteer approved judges, and the average score is used for ranking.

Top-ranked care

Doctors you know and trust

Many UPMC physicians have been recognized as 2025 "Top Doctors" across more than 60 different specialties. UPMC doctors represent more than half of the physicians listed in Pittsburgh. These physicians are part of the Top Doctors^® list, which is compiled by Castle Connolly. The Castle Connolly Top Doctor selection process is entirely merit-based. Doctors cannot pay to be listed. Castle Connolly’s peer-to-peer nominations and rigorous research process ensure only the most qualified physicians are included.

High-quality hospitals

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside, the flagship hospital of UPMC and the organization's hub academic medical center, remains the No. 1 hospital in the Pittsburgh metro area as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, reclaiming the No. 2 spot in all of Pennsylvania, up from No. 3 in 2024-25. 

The highest-ranking specialty for 2025-26 was Psychiatry, which encompasses votes for both UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside and UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. Psychiatry achieved a No. 7 rank in the nation. 

In addition to being No. 1 in Pittsburgh, UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside is nationally ranked in the following specialties:

• Cancer - ranked 33
• Cardiology, Heart, and Vascular Surgery – rated high performing
• Diabetes and Endocrinology - ranked 40
• Ear, Nose, and Throat - ranked 23 (tie)
• Gastroenterology and GI Surgery - ranked 37
• Geriatrics - ranked 35
• Neurology and Neurosurgery – ranked 45
• Orthopedics – rated high performing 
• Psychiatry – ranked 7 (UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital is rolled into UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside) 
• Pulmonology and Lung Surgery - ranked 50
• Rheumatology – rated high performing 
• Urology - ranked 42

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside was also recognized as a "Best Regional Hospital for Community Access." This is a designation given to hospitals that, according to Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News, "demonstrate by their example that a hospital can both excel in overall quality of care and also provide a substantial amount of that exceptional care to historically underserved communities."  

Other notable national rankings include UPMC Mercy, which was ranked No. 14 in the nation for Rehabilitation, and UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, which ranked No. 32 (tied) nationally.  

Additional State and Regional Results  

• UPMC Harrisburg moved to No. 7 in Pennsylvania, remaining No. 2 in the Harrisburg metro area. It is also high performing in orthopaedics and urology.  
• UPMC Hamot ranked No. 17 (tie) in Pennsylvania and was recognized in Northwestern Pennsylvania. 
• UPMC Passavant ranked No. 20 (tie) in Pennsylvania and No. 3 in the Pittsburgh metro area.  

 Get a full look at the results and methodology used in the calculations at USNews.com.