Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is America's #3 ranked private health plan and the top-ranked Medicare PPO in the country on the National Committee for Quality Assurance's (NCQA) annual ranking list
Massachusetts' largest health plan also among highest-rated for private PPO and Medicare HMO plans

Boston — September 19, 2013 — NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2013–2014 found that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) is the:

  • #3 ranked private health plan in America1,
  • Top-ranked Medicare Advantage PPO health plan in the country2 and,
  • Among the highest-rated PPO private health plans1 and Medicare HMO2 plans in the nation.

The 2013-14 NCQA Health Insurance Plan Rankings list measures the quality of care and member satisfaction among 557 of the nation's Medicare health insurance plans and 577 private plans. Health plans throughout the country were evaluated on a wide variety of areas such as member's overall satisfaction with their health plan, access to high-quality primary and specialty care, and the effectiveness of wellness and prevention efforts such as child immunizations, cancer screenings and treatment of diseases.

"Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' corporate promise is to always put our members first," said Andrew Dreyfus, President and CEO of BCBSMA. "Our approach to ensuring quality health care for our members involves every area of our company and our extensive network of doctors and hospitals. Through innovation and collaboration, we are improving the health of our members and advancing the health system to provide effective, affordable care."

Dreyfus pointed to the following initiatives that BCBSMA, a health care leader in Massachusetts for more than 76 years, attributes to providing great care and service to its 2.8 million members:

  • Strong provider relationships - BCBSMA collaborates closely with doctors and hospitals to improve the quality, safety, and outcomes of the care they provide. For example, BCBSMA's Alternative Quality Contract, which is a groundbreaking payment model that rewards providers for quality, efficiency, and effectiveness rather than quantity of care. Providers in this contract are achieving important quality improvements in preventative care, chronic disease management and clinical outcomes, and patient experiences. While care improves, overall health care spending is also reduced.
  • Top-notch member service - BCBSMA's member service includes proactive education on plan benefits, culturally and linguistically appropriate communications, and an enhanced explanation of benefits form. BCBSMA also utilizes predictive modeling and analytics to help identify members with chronic issues to help improve their overall well-being.
  • Innovative products - BCBSMA products help manage costs and work to create healthier members. The company offers a wide variety of health insurance coverage choices for everyone from seniors to small businesses and large corporations. All plans are from a trusted brand that offers world-class service and access to a wide network of physicians and hospitals.

BCBSMA consistently earns an Excellent accreditation rating from NCQA in addition to recently naming us a Top Performer in Quality for providing superior care to patients with heart conditions. BCBSMA's Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO products have also received 4.5 out of 5 Stars in the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2012 Star ratings, which means that we're also providing high-quality care for our Medicare members.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. For more information, please visit NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2013-2014.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to working with others in a spirit of shared responsibility to make quality health care affordable. Consistent with our corporate promise to always put our 2.8 million members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality.

 

1 NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2013–2014 - Private
2 NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2013–2014 - Medicare

For further information: CONTACT: Sharon Torgerson (617) 246-2357 sharon.torgerson@bcbsma.com