PROVIDENCE — The National Committee for Quality Assurance has accredited 19 health plans in Rhode Island, rating five of them “excellent,” its highest such rating.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, UnitedHealthcare of New England, Inc.’s UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Tufts Benefit Administrators Inc. and Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization, Inc. all earned an excellent designation from the nonprofit organization.
NCQA, founded in 1990 to improve health care quality, awards excellent accreditation status to plans where service and clinical quality meet or exceed rigorous requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement. Organizations must also have Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set in the highest range of national performance.
This year, the five Rhode Island health plans are among 64 nationwide to earn an excellent rating from the NCQA.
“Earning an ‘Excellent’ is no easy feat,” said Peter Marino, Neighborhood’s President and CEO. “This designation reflects the amazing dedication everyone in this organization has when it comes to treating our members with dignity and respect – as well as connecting them to high-quality, affordable health care. It also reflects the high quality of care delivered by our outstanding network of primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals, and Community Health Centers statewide.”
Rhode Island had the second highest ranted health plan score in the nation according to the nonprofit’s 2017-2018 ratings. Massachusetts ranked No. 1.
State rankings are based on a three year average performance.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
