Virginia Health Information

VHI HMO REPORTS

HMO Press Release of 2006 Data

Over 1 million Virginians are enrolled in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO.) HMO members, employers, states and national organizations have supported development of measures of HMO effectiveness and quality of care.

WHY IS THIS INFORMATION IMPORTANT?
HMOs vary in their cost and quality; choose an HMO with the price, performance and benefits right for you and your family.

HOW DO I USE THIS INFORMATION?
VHI provides HMO information so Virginians can compare Virginia HMO options and make more informed choices. You can use this information to learn about:

The PERFORMANCE of HMOs
How do Virginia's HMOs stack up on more than fifty HEDIS and CAHPS measures?
The SIZE of a particular HMO Physician Network
The more physicians in a network, the greater the potential access to health care services in a timely manner--think about it as "strength in numbers." If you need care, you have more choices and costs will be contained when you can stay in your HMO network.
The GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS the HMO Serves
HMOs with large service areas are more likely to offer care for families or employees that live across a wide geographic area. When you're shopping for HMO coverage, this is also important because it tells you which HMOs serve your area.

The FINANCIAL STRENGTH of the HMO
In comparing HMOs, consumers and employers may wish to consider an HMOs financial health. Some are stronger than others. The financial data provided does not include a rating but it does give you numbers to compare that can expand your knowledge of a particular HMO.

VHI developed the HMO information under contract to the Virginia Department of Health. Under state law, HMOs are required to submit performance data on commercial (excludes Medicare and Medicaid members) and fund the development of the HMO web pages to benefit consumers, employers and the general public.

IT'S SIMPLE TO GET JUST THE HMO INFORMATION YOU WANT!
HMO Profiles See all available information on a single HMO you select

Compare HMOs Compare HMOs on performance measures important to you

HMO Finder Locates HMOs serving your area

LINKS More information on HMOs from others on the web

Are you in a PPO or other managed care plan? VHI's HMO information may still help as many insurance carriers offer these plans in addition to HMOs. Don't know the difference between the various types of managed care health insurance plans? Check out VHI's HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS: A CONSUMER'S GUIDE.

INFORMATION SOURCES

The HMO data provided by VHI on www.vhi.org comes from two main sources. The administrative, financial and geographic information was extracted from annual financial statements required by Virginia's State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance (SCC-BOI.) HMO HEDIS performance and CAHPS member satisfaction data was provided by HMOs to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA.) Under an agreement with VHI, the NCQA provided the HEDIS and member satisfaction performance information on commercial members (excludes Medicare and Medicaid members) in their plan.