AmeriHealth NJ Earns State’s Top Ratings for Customer Service, Quality-of-Care in New HMO Performance Report

AmeriHealth New Jersey is the state’s top-rated health plan for both Customer Service and Quality-of-Care, according to the 12th annual New Jersey HMO Performance Report, released by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI).

The HMO Performance Report contains information on the performance of New Jersey’s HMOs, how well these HMOs deliver important health care services, and how members rate the services they receive. It is designed to provide both consumers and employers information on the quality of New Jersey’s HMOs and the coverage they provide.

“A lot of industry metrics gauge HMO and Point-of-Service (POS) plan performance, but our customers consistently tell us they care most about quality of service and quality of care,” said Judith L. Roman, president and CEO of AmeriHealth New Jersey. “AmeriHealth’s associates work closely with our customers every day to learn how we can continually surpass their expectations, and we’re proud that they rate us as the best in New Jersey for service and care.”

AmeriHealth’s HMO and POS plans emerged with the most-satisfied customers in multiple categories of preventive care and treatment (as determined by the percentage of members ranking their HMO’s performance as a “9” or “10” on an overall 1-10 scale, with “10” representing the best-possible grade. In addition to the highest ratings for Customer Service and Quality-of-Care (referred to in the report as Rating of Health Care), AmeriHealth is also the highest-rated carrier in related categories including Rating of Personal Doctor, Getting Needed Care and How Well Doctors Communicate, and shares the highest rating for Getting Care Quickly.

Laurie Labaska, director of human resources for RadPharm, an international, 300-employee health care technology company headquartered in Princeton, remarked that AmeriHealth’s level of customer service distinguishes the carrier.

“When you’re operating in a globally competitive business your employees are truly your most important asset, and we view the selection of a health insurance carrier as one of the most important choices we make on their behalf,” said Labaska. “For five years, AmeriHealth has been the optimal insurance carrier for us. Our employees rave about the personalized service they receive and their access to high-quality care throughout the region. RadPharm is proud of our ongoing partnership with AmeriHealth.”

Note to editors: You can access the full HMO Performance Report at: www.state.nj.us/dobi/lifehealthactuarial/hmo2008/index.html.

About AmeriHealth

AmeriHealth New Jersey provides health care coverage to nearly 230,000 New Jersey residents. The company’s contracted hospital and physician network includes thousands of physicians at 76 hospitals throughout its service area. Its HMO and POS plans are New Jersey’s top-rated health plans based on the highest ratings for customer service and quality-of-care in the 2008 New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance HMO Performance Report.

AmeriHealth New Jersey has offices in Mt. Laurel and Iselin. The company’s managed care plan, AmeriHealth HMO Inc. of New Jersey, has received the highest possible accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) by meeting NCQA’s rigorous evaluation standards. AmeriHealth New Jersey is part of AmeriHealth, Inc, a growing group of insurance and health care companies whose product portfolio includes health insurance, workers’ compensation, property and casualty insurance, and management services. For more information on AmeriHealth, visit our website at www.amerihealth.com.