NCQA ranks Independent Health one of the

Highest in the Nation

By David Donovan, Independent Health

Independent Health is one of the highest-ranked health insurance plans in the nation for all lines of business, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012. Independent Health is the only local plan with this distinction for its Private, Medicare and Medicaid plans.

Independent Health received a score of 87.2 out of 100 and was ranked 28th among 483 plans in NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012 - Private. Under Medicare, Independent Health received a score of 86 out of 100 and was ranked 23rd among 403 plans in NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012 - Medicare. And under Medicaid, Independent Health received a score of 85.5 out of 100 and was ranked 21st among 213 plans in NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012 - Medicaid. The rankings are based on clinical quality, member satisfaction and NCQA accreditation standards.

"Our consistent high position in this national ranking speaks directly to the commitment and success Independent Health has achieved in providing affordable, quality health care to our members," said Michael W. Cropp, M.D., president and chief executive officer, Independent Health.

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. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers. NCQA is the nation's leading database of comparable information on clinical performance and patient experience for 404 commercial health plan products serving 94 million enrollees.

Some of the programs and initiatives that enable Independent Health to achieve high rankings and recognitions are featured in Independent Health's 2011 Community Report titled, "Better together. For a healthier tomorrow."

The report highlights Independent Health's collaborative efforts with members, employers, physicians and other community partners to transform health care on a local level and help establish Western New York as a high-quality, high-performing health care community.

To access an online version of the report, including video commentaries, please visit www.independenthealth.com/2011report. Or, to obtain a printed copy, contact Independent Health's Public Relations Department at (716) 635-3950.