AvMed Volunteers for a Survey of Its Care Management and Wellness Programs By National Evaluation Firm
AvMed Health Plans is one of the first insurers in the United States to volunteer to have its care management and wellness programs surveyed by a national leader in the evaluation of health plans. The survey will begin on October 1, and results will be published in the first half of 2006.
The new standards allow health plans accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to seek additional distinction for quality and member satisfaction by meeting tougher standards, even before they become mandatory for NCQA accreditation.
“AvMed has a long tradition of providing our members with the highest possible levels of health care quality and satisfaction, and we welcome the opportunity to be evaluated on these new NCQA standards,” said Doug Cueny, President and Chief Operating Officer of AvMed. “We want to be among the first in the nation to set a benchmark for these kinds of programs.”
AvMed is one of 57 health plans across the country that have signed on as “early adopters” of the new Care Management and Health Improvement standards established by the NCQA. AvMed will be evaluated on its wellness and prevention, and disease and complex case management programs.
AvMed offers members a range of care management programs for ailments such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, asthma and high-risk pregnancy. Additionally, AvMed has a variety of wellness programs designed to help members quit smoking, lose weight and obtain regular exercise.
The NCQA’s new Care Management and Health Improvement standards will distinguish health plans that excel at engaging members in wellness and prevention. Such plans might, for instance, identify and recruit smokers into smoking-cessation programs or send out reminders to members who may have missed routine screenings.
“At AvMed, we offer services designed to help our members save time and money, and to live healthy lifestyles,” Cueny added. “For years, we have offered members programs such as Weight Watchers and Smoke Enders. We also provide disease management and complex care management ranging from preventive support to care for those suffering from early, advanced and catastrophic chronic disease. We believe these programs are among the best in the country, and we’re anxious to see if NCQA agrees.”
NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to measuring the quality of America’s health care. The NCQA also manages the HEDIS(R) survey, which health plans nationally use to measure and report on their performance. These new standards are part of an effort by NCQA to broaden how it evaluates health plans.
“In five years, most health plans will engage in the kinds of activities we’re looking for with these new standards,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “But if you’re selecting a health plan tomorrow, you really want to know which plans are taking steps now to prevent and manage chronic conditions. It’s terrific that so many plans have come forward as we launch this program.”
About AvMed Health Plans
AvMed Health Plans is Florida’s oldest and largest not-for-profit health plan, improving access to health care for members for more than 30 years, while serving Florida communities in all major metropolitan areas of the state. Through an extensive medical provider network, AvMed offers health care coverage on a fully insured and self-funded basis for employer groups in Florida. Additionally, AvMed offers health care products to Medicare beneficiaries in South Florida. AvMed has offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville and Jacksonville. For more information, visit http://www.avmed.org.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS(R), the tool the nation’s health plans use to measure and report on their performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices. For more information about the standards or related educational opportunities, visit NCQA’s Web site at http://www.ncqa.org.
HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).