HealthPartners ranks as number one health plan in Minnesota, among top 30 nationally, according to new NCQA rankings

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the eighth consecutive year, HealthPartners is the number one health plan in Minnesota, and among the top 30 plans in the nation, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-2013*.

“To be ranked as the top plan in Minnesota – and among the top six percent nationally – is very rewarding”

The rankings are based on more than 50 measures of clinical performance and member satisfaction as well as NCQA accreditation. HealthPartners ranked 28^th – within the top six percent – of 474 plans in the nation ranked by NCQA.

Also, for the first time ever, the HealthPartners Freedom® (Cost) plan is among the top 10 Medicare plans in the nation, ranking 10^th overall**. The Freedom plan is also the top-ranked Medicare plan in Minnesota, for the fourth consecutive year.

“To be ranked as the top plan in Minnesota – and among the top six percent nationally – is very rewarding,” said Mary Brainerd, president and CEO of HealthPartners. “Our priority has always been to help our members live better, healthier lives by providing top quality care at an affordable cost, so this recognition is very affirming.”

In the 2012-2013 report, HealthPartners was in the 90^th percentile in the following areas:

Preventive care

• Ensuring adults have a BMI assessment
• Use of flu shots by members

Diabetes

• Ensuring that members have their blood pressure and LDL cholesterol under control
• The number of members who undergo glucose testing

Heart disease

• Controlling high blood pressure
• Keeping members’ LDL cholesterol level less than 100 mg

Behavioral health care

• Making sure that members with depression stay on medication for at least three months
• Making sure that members with depression stay on medication for at least six months

Others

• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drug therapy for rheumatoid arthritis
• Appropriate testing for children with pharyngitis
• Use of imaging studies for low back pain
• Pharmacotherapy management of COPD exacerbation-corticosteroids

*NCQA Private Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-13
**NCQA Medicare Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-13

About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of health care companies serves more than one million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. It is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health of members, patients and the community. HealthPartners is the top-ranked commercial health plan in Minnesota and is also ranked 28th in the nation according to NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2012-13 - private.