AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- SummaCare, Inc. in Akron is the only Ohio Commercial Health Plan recognized as one of the best 50 health plans in the nation by “U.S. News & World Report/NCQA America’s Best Health Plans 2005.” SummaCare, Inc. was also recognized as being one of the top 50 in the nation for Medicare Health Plans.
The first-ever rankings of health plans by “U.S. News & World Report/NCQA America’s Best Health Plans 2005" is in the October 10, 2005 issue of the magazine. SummaCare is recognized as 37th for Commercial Health Plans and 46th for Medicare Health Plans.
U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the major accrediting body for managed-care health plans, joined forces to rank over 500 of the nation’s health maintenance organizations and point-of-service plans based on quality. Only those placing within the top 50 in each category earned a ranking.
“We are especially proud to be the only plan in Ohio included in the top 50,” said Marty Hauser, president of SummaCare, Inc. “We believe that consumers and employers are beginning to view service and quality as important criteria for selecting a health plan. Receiving this recognition from U.S. News and NCQA validates that SummaCare is well positioned to respond to employers and consumers who consider these as important features in their health plans.”
The NCQA methodology crunched audited data submitted by plans in dozens of measures after assigning each one a weight and slotting it into one of four major categories: access to care, overall member satisfaction, prevention or treatment. The factors included medical yardsticks, such as a plan’s diligence in monitoring diabetics, immunizing children and testing for colorectal cancer. Reporting of clinical performance data and member satisfaction were voluntary.
Customer service factors were also considered, including how readily members can get care when they need it and how highly they regard their personal physician.
SummaCare’s Commercial Health Plan ranked: - 5-star in overall member satisfaction - 4-star in access to care - 3-star in prevention - 3-star in treatment SummaCare’s Medicare Health Plan ranked: - 4-star in prevention - 3-star in access to care - 3-star in overall member satisfaction - 2-star in treatment
The “U.S. News & World Report/NCQA America’s Best Health Plans” October issue is on newsstands now. “America’s Best Health Plans” is a trademark of U.S. News & World Report. For more information about the rankings, visit Summa’s Web site at www.summacare.org or log on to www.usnews.com.
Summa Health System is one of the largest organized delivery systems in Ohio. The system encompasses a network of hospitals, community-based health centers, a health plan, a physician-hospital organization, an entrepreneurial entity, research and medical education and a foundation. Summa is renowned for excellence in patient care and for exceptional approaches to healthcare delivery.
Established in 1989, SummaCare received the highest accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and provides medical care for nearly 150,000 members in Northeast Ohio. SummaCare’s products include health-maintenance organization (HMO), point-of-service (POS), preferred- provider organization (PPO), self-funded, individual and Medicare plans. The plan services members in 13 counties in Northeast Ohio with a network of more than 5,000 providers and 30 hospitals. Apex Benefits Services, SummaCare’s fully-licensed third party administrator, offers a full line of self-funded products and services.
SummaCare, Inc.
CONTACT: Heather L. Phillips, System Manager of Public Relations of SummaHealth System, +1-330-375-7930, or pager, +1-330-971-4421
