A new ranking of America’s health plans published in U.S. News & World Report rates Rhode Island’s three Medicaid managed-care plans as No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 in the nation, and Massachusetts’ leading commercial plans as No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 in that category.
The annual ranking, produced with the National Committee for Quality Assurance, which accredits health plans, is based on members’ satisfaction – with their health care and with the plans – as well on plans’ performance against benchmarks for preventive care and treatment.
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Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, an HMO that serves RIte Care beneficiaries exclusively, earned the No. 1 spot among Medicaid plans with above-average ratings for both patient satisfaction, with their care and the plan, and access to care.
Where Neighborhood stood out most was in preventive care. The plan had top ratings in childhood immunizations and in mammograms, regularly given to 67.7 percent of female subscribers, compared with the average of 53.9 percent among Medicaid plans. It also excelled in diabetic care, with 85.8 percent of diabetic subscribers checking their glucose levels regularly and 69.3 percent getting regular eye exams, compared with national averages of 76.2 percent and 48.6 percent, respectively.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island ranked second in the nation among Medicaid plans, and UnitedHealthcare of New England ranked fourth.
Among Medicare managed-care plans, Blue Cross was No. 41 among the 140 plans rated, while United was No. 96. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Massachusetts was rated No. 9.
Among commercial plans, Blue Cross in Rhode Island was No. 43 out of 246, and United was No. 62 – but Bay State plans packed the “honor roll”: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care was No. 1; Tufts Associated HMO was No. 2; and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Massachusetts was No. 4. (Harvard Pilgrim’s New Hampshire plan took the No. 3 spot.)
Overall, the report found that health plans are improving. NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane noted, for example, that children in commercial plans are nearly three times likelier to get all their immunizations than they were eight years ago.
But a growing number of health plans, especially preferred-provider organizations (PPOs) and consumer-directed plans, aren’t participating in quality monitoring, O’Kane noted.
“All of us have a stake – collectively and individually – in safeguarding our nation’s health,” she said. “The past decade has demonstrated the benefits of measurement, reporting and accountability, but three out of four people don’t enjoy those benefits today. It’s time to ask, ‘Why not?’ ”
The full rankings can be accessed through www.ncqa.org.
