Health Insurance Blog

In the recent US News and World Report annual health plan rankings report, two health plans offered by Highmark ranked as being among the best health plans in the nation.

• SecurityBlue, HighMark’s Medicare Advantage HMO ranked #32 among Medicare Health Plans
• Among Commercial HMOs, Keystone Blue (offered by Highmark subsidiary Keystone Health Plan West) ranked 47th

Both of the above health plans were rated as excellent.

More information about:  Pennsylvania Health Insurance, Medicare Advantage Plans, HighMark BlueShield

US News and World Report recently released their updated health plan rankings for 2009-2010.  Their rankings of Medicare Health Plans was as follows, with 2008 ranking in parenthesis.

1. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado (8)
2. Fallon Community Health Plan (Not In Top 10)
3. Geisinger Health Plan (3)
4. Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization (10)
5. Capital Health Plan (7)
6. MVP Health Care (Not in Top 10)
7. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Northwest (Not in Top 10)
8. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Southern California (2)
9. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Northwest (Demonstration Project) (NR)
10. Capital District Health Plan (9)

In 2008, Preferred Care was the top rated Medicare Health Plan by US News.  In this years study, they failed to make the top 10.  Kaiser Foundation Health Plans fared very well in the 2009-2010 study, with 4 of their regional plans being ranked among the top 10 plans in the country, with the Colorado plan occupying the top spot.

According to US News and World Report, Capital Health Plan, an affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, is the top rated Medicare Health Plan in Florida.

Founded in 1982, Capital Health Plan serves the four county are surrounding Tallahassee.  They currently provide coverage to more than 110,000 members.

More information about Florida health insurance & senior health insurance.

Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans is rapidly approaching (November 15 - December 31).  We thought we’d blog about some of the top rated plans in each state according to US News and World Reports annual rankings.

In California, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan boasts the 2 top ranked plans in the state. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Southern California was the top rated Medicare health plan in California with an overall score of 88.1, followed by Kaiser’s plan covering Northern California (86.8).  These two plans were followed by Health Net of California (83.2), Pacificare of California (81.7) and Aetna Health of California (80.4).

None of the twenty California Medicare Plans ranked in this study received a customer assessment score of greater than three stars out of five.  However, both Kaiser plans faired very well in both treatment and prevention measures, with five stars.

More information about California health insurance.

The article “Leading insurance grievance: delays in claims handling” by Becky Yerak on chicagotribune.com states that Illinois consumers have been filing less complaints about their health, auto and homeowners insurance companies. 

Illinois health insurance complaints were down 13%, auto insurance complaints were down 10%, and homeowners insurance was down 5%.  The complaint ratios, which compare the number of complaints with every $1 million in policies, vary widely among insurance companies.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners released the study showing that the leading complaint was because of delays in handling of claims at 18.7%.  The next most common complaint was claims denials which was around 18.2%. 

Consumers complained most often about accident and health insurance coverage at 37.5% of complaints.  Auto insurance accounted for about 35% and homeowners insurance only accounted for 12.5% of all of the complaints.

The September issue of Consumer Reports ranks the top PPOs and HMOs in the country.  In all, 41 PPOs were rated as well as 35 HMOs.  The ratings were based on surveys of 37,000 respondents.

Some of the findings included in the report inlcude:

• Median health insurance premiums were $1,829 (up 38% from two years ago).  PPO members paid $2,003 on average, while HMO members paid $1,466.
• The highest rated PPO health insurance plan was Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Connecticut
• The highest rated HMO was Group Health of Idaho & Washington
• 64% of respondents were very or completely satisfied with their health insurance carrier.  10% were dissatisfied.

In November of 2008, we published a series of posts breaking down the US News and report’s rankings of commercial health plans. Similarly, below are their rankings of the top Medicare health plans for 2008 based on the same criteria (consumer assessment, prevention, treatment).

1. Preferred Care
2. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Southern California
3. Geisinger Health Plan
4. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
5. Security Health Plan of Wisconsin
6. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island
7. Capital Health Plan
8. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado
9. Capital District Physicians Health Plan
10. Tufts Associated HMO

More inforamtion about health plans for seniors, Medicare advantage plans, and traditional Medicare Supplement Plans.

Thestreet.com recently rated the financial strength of HMOs from coast-to-coast.  It is important to understand the financial strength of an insurance company that will be providing you benefits as a weak company may provide you with sub-standard care as well as the potential for financial loss.

The following companies were rated as having an A+ financial strength rating by thestreet.com

• Health Care Services Corporation
• Blue Cross of California
• Excellus Health Plan
• Group Hospital & Medical Services
• LA Health Services & Indemnity
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
• Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield
• Horizon Health Care of New Jersey
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of KC
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island
• Carefirst BlueChoice
• Independent Health Association
• Anthem Health Plans of Maine
• Blue Cross of Idaho
• HealthKeepers Inc.
• Rochester Area HMO
• Optima Health Plan
• HMO Louisiana

More research about health plans by state.

When JD Power & Associates rated the top health plans in Pennsylvania, they also included Delaware in a region which included both Pennsylvania & Delaware.  However, of the eleven private health insurance companies that were included in the study and part of this region, eight of them where Pennsylvania health plans, and the three that weren’t exclusively Pennsylvania plans (Aetna, CIGNA, and UnitedHealthCare) did not factor into consideration among the top plans and were all rated as being below average in overall experience.

According to the study, the top health insurance plan in Pennsylvania was Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, which was also judged to be one of the best the nation has to offer.  Finishing a close second to Highmark BCBS, was another Highmark inc. company and Blue Cross Blue Shield Licensee Highmark Blue Shield.

Highmark BCBS serves health insurance customers in Western Pennsylvania, while Highmark Blue Shield serves Central PA.

Other Pennsylvania health plans that fared particularly well in the study include Capital BlueCross and Geisinger Health Plan, both were rated above average.

In JD Power & associates 2009 rankings of the top health plans in Ohio, Medical Mutual took top honors.  Based on JD Power surveys, Medical Mutual of Ohio is among the best health plans in the country.

Humana is the 2nd best health plan in Ohio according to this study of well over 100 health plans nationally, and also among the best in the country.  Other Ohio health plans that were rated include:  Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield & Aetna which were both rated as average, and CIGNA & UnitedHealthCare which were rated as below average.

More information about Ohio health insurance.

US News Top Ohio Health Plans