BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthPartners is the top rated plan in the state and one of the top rated plans in the nation, according to a new report that compares the quality and efficiency of Minnesota’s major health plans. The report was released today by the Buyers Health Care Action Group, a Twin Cities-based employer health care purchasing coalition.
The first-of-its-kind study is based on data collected through eValue8, a national survey sponsored by the National Business Coalition on Health. Companies including General Motors, Pitney Bowes and ten other health care purchasing coalitions use eValue8 to negotiate pricing, determine employee premiums and improve treatment of costly chronic health conditions such as diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disease. Minnesota employers that use eValue8 include the University of Minnesota, the State of Minnesota, 3M, Ford Motor Company and Minnesota’s Smart Buy Alliance, a coalition of private and public sector employers representing nearly 3.5 million Minnesotans. Seven health plans in Minnesota participated in the survey including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Patient Choice, Medica, CIGNA and Sioux Falls-based Sioux Valley.
The survey tracks measures such as use of information technology to order prescriptions and process claims, 24/7 availability of nurse advice, disease management, use of generic drugs and treatment of depression. HealthPartners ranked first in both network and open access plans in Minnesota.
Evaluation area HealthPartners HealthPartners network ranking open access ranking Primary prevention and health promotion 1st 1st Provider measurement 1st 1st Chronic disease management 1st 1st Prescription drug management 1st 1st Behavioral health screening and management 1st 1st Plan profile 1st 3rd (tied) Consumer engagement and support 1st 2nd Health information technology 2nd 2nd Open access operations NA 1st HealthPartners eValue8
HealthPartners also compares favorably to the best performing national plan for adopting health information technology, chronic disease management, prevention and health promotion and depression and chemical dependency treatment.
In five preferred provider organization categories, HealthPartners scored top in the nation. Those categories are: provider measurement, prevention and health promotion, chronic disease management, behavioral health screening and management, and PPO operations. In the HMO category, HealthPartners scored first nationally in provider measurement.
“Traditionally, employers have relied mainly on cost in choosing health plans and eValue8 lets them know what they’re getting for their money,” said Andrea Walsh, HealthPartners executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “This is an objective way to determine which health plans do the best job of delivering care that improves the health of employees and their families, which in turn reduces health care costs,” she added.
To view a complete copy of the Minnesota eValue8 results, please contact Ashley Burt at (952) 883-5304 or Ashley.r.burt@healthpartners.com .
About HealthPartners
HealthPartners ( http://www.healthpartners.com ) is the largest consumer- governed, non-profit health care organization in the nation with commercial and Medicare+Choice plans that received the highest rating of “Excellent” from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
HealthPartners
CONTACT: Ashley Burt of HealthPartners, +1-952-883-5304, Pager+1-651-629-2110, ashley.r.burt@healthpartners.com
