NCQA SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON CHANGES TO ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
Public invited to comment on proposed changes through April 1
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WASHINGTON – The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) released today for public comment changes to its Health Plan Accreditation program, including the addition of new standards addressing disparities in health care.
The proposed changes include extending the phase-in of hybrid data collection HEDIS measures for preferred provider plans beyond the scheduled 2010 implementation data. The extended phase-in continues movement towards a level playing field for all health plans, but responds to concerns about the added burden in light the current economic crisis. Additionally, NCQA proposes alignment of existing products with NCQA’s Wellness & Health Promotion Accreditation standards addressing health risk appraisals and self-management tools. These changes would affect programs for health plans, managed behavioral healthcare organizations, health information products and new health plans.
Racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. are less likely to receive routine medical procedures and more likely to experience lower-quality health care, according to a 2002 report by the Institute of Medicine. Integrating standards addressing the assessment of race, ethnicity and language needs as well as enhancing cultural competence, emphasize the importance of improving health care quality for all.
“Health plans that deliver the highest level of care design programs that speak to and motivate their members to be active in maintaining their own health,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “In order to do this, plans need an understanding of who their members are and what their members need. That’s what these new standards address.”
A complete list of proposed changes, including draft standards, can be found on NCQA’s Web site. Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposed changes through April 1. Details and instructions are available at www.ncqa.org/publiccomment.aspx. Revised product requirements will be released in July 2009. While a new health care disparities standard will be released this July, health plans will not be scored on the new standard before 2011.
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA evaluates, 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, protecting the lives of more than 100 million Americans. 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.
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