CalPERS releases inaugural health plan quality/performance report.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 1995--The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) Monday released their 1995 Health Plan Quality/Performance Report containing quality "ratings" for the 17 participating health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in the CalPERS Health Program.

The Report is being mailed to the more than 420,000 families in the CalPERS program as part of their annual Open Enrollment package. A second booklet, the Health Plan Guide, provides information on benefit coverages, plan costs, and program information and serves as the companion piece of the package. The open period, May 1 - 31, is the time when members can enroll, change plans, or make changes in family coverage.

"It is critical that consumers have quality and performance information to make more informed choices about their health care," said Kurato Shimada, CalPERs board health benefits committee chair. "This report symbolizes not only our ongoing commitment to providing quality, affordable health care to our members, but our commitment to providing them the essential information they need."

The 18-page report contains four major sections and provides information on how well health plans deliver services to members and how other CalPERS members rate their satisfaction with their plan.

The Quality/Performance data contained in the first section was facilitated by the California Collaborative HEDIS Reporting Initiative group, an organization made up of health plans, health providers, and health purchasing representatives. It was compiled and analyzed by a neutral third party, according to quality indicators developed by the National Committee For Quality Assurance.

The second section contains results of the Member Satisfaction Survey completed in 1994. Member satisfaction is reported by experiences with physicians, hospitals, plan coverages, and the likelihood of members recommending their plan to others. The third part of the report, the Health Plan Worksheet, serves as a tool for members to use in comparing data and plotting out important factors about the health plans they are considering.

The fourth component of the report is the "wellness" facts shown throughout the booklet, providing insight about healthy lifestyles. This information enables members to take an active part in maintaining good health and managing the care they receive.

"There is more to choosing health care than just cost," said Tom Elkin, chief of the CalPERS Health Program, "and now our members will have the information they need to make responsible, knowledgeable decisions about who will provide quality care to their families. The Health Plan Quality/Performance Report is an important part of our efforts in controlling costs, monitoring quality, and being an innovator in the group health care purchasing field."

CalPERS provides health benefits to nearly one million California employees, retirees, and their families from nearly 1,000 state and local public agencies. As the second largest risk pool for health insurance in the nation, CalPERS has $1.5 billion in annual health premiums.

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Note to Editors: To be mailed a copy of the Health Plan Quality/Performance Report, call 916/326-3991.

CONTACT: CalPERS

Nancy Quinlan, 916/326-3038