U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT, NCQA RELEASE
ANNUAL RANKINGS FOR “AMERICA'S BEST HEALTH PLANS”
USNews.com visitors can search, sort, and compare
more than 500 health plans on quality of care, service
WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 26, 2007 — U.S.News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today unveiled the third edition of America’s Best Health Plans, an annual ranking of U.S. health maintenance organizations and point-of-service plans. Coinciding with the November launch of “open season,” when many families face health plan selection options, the rankings will be published in the November 5 issue of U.S. News, on newsstands as of Monday, October 29 and online beginning Friday, October 26, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time.
The 2007 online edition of America’s Best Health Plans includes data and information on nearly 550 commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid health plans, as well as identifying 150 plans that chose to report no data. The rankings are based on more than 100 aspects of clinical performance, such as a plan’s ability to help diabetic members meet a blood pressure target number, and customer satisfaction, such as how satisfied members are with specialists they see.
"America’s Best Health Plans is a practical tool that helps consumers make informed decisions when choosing a health plan,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “It lets consumers know which plans have demonstrated they can deliver the highest levels of care and service.”
Avery Comarow, a U.S. News senior writer and the editor of America's Best Health Plans said, “It's hard to be a health consumer these days. While there is no shortage of information, not all of it is clear and trustworthy. The health plan rankings are one of many ways U.S. News tries to give consumers data that is accurate, easy to understand, and relevant to their and their families' health."
Below are highlights of the 2007 rankings:
Top 10 Commercial Plans
1. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HMO/POS*),
Maine, Mass.
2. Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization (HMO/POS), Mass., N.H., R.I.
3. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of New England (HMO/POS), N.H.
4. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts
(HMO/POS)
5. ConnectiCare (HMO/POS), Conn.
6. Health Net of Connecticut (HMO/POS)
7. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Rochester Region
(HMO/POS), N.Y.
8. Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (HMO)
9. Health New England (HMO/POS), Conn., Mass.
10. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield - Connecticut
(HMO/POS)
*HMO, health maintenance organization;
POS, point-of-service plan
Top 5 Medicare Plans
1. Fallon Community Health Plan (HMO), Mass.
2. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts (HMO)
3. Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Mass.
4. Preferred Care (HMO), N.Y.
5. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (HMO), Ore., Wash.
Top 5 Medicaid Plans
1. Fallon Community Health Plan (HMO), Mass.
2. Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (HMO)
3. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (POS)
4. Capital District Physicians' Health Plan (HMO), N.Y.
5. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Rochester Region (HMO), N.Y.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes physicians in key clinical areas. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.
About U.S.News & World Report
Founded in 1933, the weekly national news magazine U.S.News & World Report is devoted to investigative journalism and reporting and to analyzing national and international affairs, politics, business, health, science, technology, and social trends. Through its annual rankings of America's Best Colleges, America’s Best Graduate Schools, America's Best Hospitals, America’s Best Children’s Hospitals, America’s Best Health Plans, and America’s Best Leaders, as well as its News You Can Use® brand, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. Available online at www.usnews.com, the U.S. News website extends that brand promise and delivers the best, most accurate information on the Web, organized in a way that is accessible and easy to use.
# # #