“A lot of good health plans meet the standards of the day, but only a few set the standards of tomorrow. Those that do deserve credit and that’s what Quality Plus is all about.  With Quality Plus, employers and consumers can make sure plans keep pushing the quality envelope; it’s the market saying, ‘We’re watching and we appreciate what you’re doing.’”

-- Peter Lee, J.D., President and CEO, Pacific Business Group on Health

“The Quality Plus standards focus on the issues that matter to consumers. 'Can I count on getting the screenings, care and support I need? Does my doctor measure up? And if I have a question, how quickly can I get an answer?'  We’re looking forward to being reviewed against these standards and showing our members that they’re in good hands.”

-- Gifford Boyce-Smith, M. D., Senior Medical Director, Quality Management, Blue Shield of California

“Quality Plus will bring health plan innovators more recognition and that will motivate the rest of the industry to embrace change. It will definitely accelerate the pace at which effective new technologies, payment strategies and approaches to member service are adopted by the industry – no health plan wants to be without a seal of approval that its competitor has.” 

-- Richard Snyder, M.D., Vice President, Quality Management, Independence Blue Cross

“What makes for a good health plan today is different from what made a good health plan ten years ago. It’s a safe bet that ten years from now, our expectations of plans will have significantly changed. Quality Plus will identify those plans that lead from the front in evolving the way health care is delivered.”

-- Andrew Webber, President, National Business Coalition on Health

"Quality Plus is another important step forward in helping consumers make informed choices about health plans that deliver high-quality care. In the long run, this program will help consumers make useful comparisons between different kinds of plans."

-- Steve Sleigh, Director of Strategic Resources, International Association of Machinists

“As consumers take a more active role in their health care, they need tools and information to support informed decision-making. The Member Connections standards support the needs of consumers in all types of benefit plans, particularly consumer-directed health plans, and as such, they encourage consumers to get involved in their health care.

-- Charles M. Cutler, M.D., M.S., National Medical Director for Quality Management, Aetna

“We want to make it easier for our members to make well-informed decisions about their health care. That includes helping them understand their benefits, and helping them learn how to stay healthy. We pride ourselves on providing a high level of service to our members. Through the Quality Plus program, we look forward to further demonstrating that we meet and exceed the expectations of our Preferred Care customers.”

-- Dominic Galante, M.D., Vice President, Medical Quality Management, Preferred Care of Rochester, N.Y.

“There is a direct correlation between how good your health plan is and how happy your employees are. We know those health plans that can meet NCQA’s Member Connections standards will provide the highest level of service to their members. Differentiating health plans based on quality benchmarks is absolutely critical in an environment of rising health care costs. If our employees are happy with their health plan, we know that we're going to be a more competitive organization.”

-- Michael Kriner, Director, Global Benefits, NCR Corporation.

“Quality Plus directly addresses the issues that matter to purchasers and consumers. Understanding their benefits, being able to identify the best doctors and safe, high quality hospitals, tools to help make decisions about their treatment options—these are the things that matter to employers and employees alike.”

-- Helen Darling, President, National Business Group on Health

"Medical Mutual of Ohio is committed to providing ready access—by Web, by phone or in person—to the information our members need in order to make informed health care decisions. That’s what our employer groups are asking for—and what the Member Connections standards assess.”

-- Paula Sauer, Vice President, Care Management, Medical Mutual of Ohio

"People everywhere, regardless of the plan they're in, are being asked to think more carefully and make more decisions about their health care. To make the right choices, they need reliable resources for information and decision-making support. The Member Connections standards describe what health plans can do to provide those resources."

-- Lewis G. Sandy, M.D., Executive Vice President, Operations, UnitedHealthcare