Over time, little definitive information concerning the quality of health insurance has been available. For instance, there are no industry standards for measuring consumer satisfaction and quality of care as they pertain to traditional indemnity insurance.
However, statewide and national organizations are forming in many areas of the health care and health insurance industries to monitor and measure some quality concerns important to consumers and their employers. Many managed care plans voluntarily seek accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Also, HMOs are able to measure quality using the NCQA's standardized information sets-referred to as the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set, or HEDIS-and are able to use this data to compile "report cards" on its segment of the health insurance industry.
In health insurance, as with other consumer products, one of the keys to satisfaction is our expectation of how the product will perform; that is, what we know or believe about the product when we purchase it. Towards this goal, Virginia Health Information analyzes provider performance statistics and makes the results of its study available. These reports can serve as benchmarks for determining the quality available among Virginia's health care providers.
Since our expectations can affect our health care satisfaction overall, these provider report cards may become one of the keys to health insurance and health care satisfaction. By using this information as you make health care decisions, it is hoped that Virginia consumers will increase their opportunity for satisfaction and quality in health insurance.