California Implements New Preferred Provider Report Card
December 7, 2009 – The California Office of the Patient Advocate has been providing reports on the largest HMO plans in California, as well as ratings of various medical groups, by comparing their offerings to national care standards and surveying consumer satisfaction. The report card compares general satisfaction, and performance in specific areas like cancer care and pediatrics.
But now for the first time, the Office of the Patient Advocate is releasing reports on the five largest PPO, or Preferred Provider Organization, health care plans in the state. Said director of the Office Sandra Perez, “We are happy to be able to provide Californians with this new resource to compare PPO ratings in addition to the HMO quality ratings that we provide annually.”
The ratings were conducted by the Office of the Patient Advocate with the assistance of the California Department of Insurance, the California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative, the Pacific Business Group on Health, and the five participating PPOs: Aetna, CIGNA HealthCare of California, Health Net of California, Athem Blue Cross, and UnitedHealthcare. The organizations provided data on a voluntary basis. Blue Shield of California did not participate in the program this year, but committed itself to public reporting next year.
Of four possible stars, Aetna, CIGNA, and Health Net got three, while Anthem Blue Cross and UnitedHealthcare received two. Visit the Office of the Patient Advocate website at www.healthcarequality.ca.gov to get in depth information on how the plans measured up.
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