Hogan Knows

I’m attaching the presentation report from NCQA entitled “The State of Health Care Quality 2011”.  As many of you know NCQA sets the standards for most of the largest health plans in the country.  This is a fascinating report.  I’ve copied their summary below.  The attached piece goes through a comparison of HMOs and PPOs, but, more importantly, talks about the things that payers are doing, best practice, to increase quality and to inspire lower costs and better health.  This obviously includes technology, incentive systems and other devices.  As you talk with your plan sponsors about lower costs and involving their populations;  you need the best data and the best tactical insight to guide them.  The biggest take away from the report is the assertion that “opportunities abound to get more value in health care” and “getting better value is essential to the nation’s fiscal health”.  These are two truisms that you should focus on with your plan sponsors.  Your job is to help create a plan that promotes this value.  The attached report is worth a good read.  I have their full report which I’ll send you if you shoot me an email.   Hope you find this report as insightful as I did.   Jeff

PPOs RISING: REPORT FINDS PPOs CATCHING UP TO HMOs ON QUALITY; 
HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY IMPROVING QUALITY OVER LONG TERM

NCQA State of Health Care Quality Report to be Released at October 13 Press Event  

Annual analysis from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) notes important facts about the overall quality of U.S. health care. The new State of Health Care Quality Report includes NCQA’s latest findings about the nation’s health care system, notably:  

• PPO performance is catching up with HMO performance.
  For the first time in the 15-year history of this annual study, NCQA publicly compares HMOs with PPOs across all measures of care. HMOs were first to embrace quality improvement, but PPOs are gaining ground. 
   
• Health plans’ performance has improved substantially over time. 
  Insurers’ commitment to measurement, transparency and accountability has made care better over long periods. 
   
• Positive trends in heart-related care provide momentum for the CDC Million Hearts Campaign.
  Million Hearts, launched in September 2011, aims to prevent one million heart attacks in the next five years. NCQA’s data show that this effort has a head start.            
   
• Opportunities abound to get more value in health care.
  Value includes both quality and cost. With cost increasing at a ruinous rate, getting better value is essential to the nation’s fiscal health. 

The State of Health Care Quality Report examined quality data from more than 1,000 health plans that collectively cover 118 million Americans, or two-fifths of the U.S. population. 

Jeffrey Hogan|Northeast Regional Manager

Rogers Benefit Group

One Forest Park Drive| Farmington, CT  06032

P: 860.606.0370|F: 860.677.5098|C: 860.424.2600

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