Delaware Physicians Care Earns Accreditation from National Committee for Quality Assurance

NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Delaware Physicians Care, an Aetna (NYSE: AET) health plan that administers Medicaid benefits in Delaware, was awarded a three-year “commendable” accreditation for its Medicaid program from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the nation’s leading provider of independent quality assessments.

“The state of Delaware expects a quality product when they choose an organization to manage its Medicaid members, and we are pleased this independent evaluation from NCQA provides our members and providers with evidence we are meeting those expectations.”

The three-year accreditation is active through Sept. 4, 2015.

NCQA accreditation is a prestigious designation in the managed care industry that signifies a health plan’s dedication to improving health care quality. The NCQA, an independent, nonprofit organization, evaluates how well a health plan manages all parts of its delivery system—physicians, hospitals, other providers and administrative services—in order to continuously improve the quality of care and services provided to its members.

“We’re very proud to receive a commendable NCQA accreditation,” said Robert White, chief executive officer of Delaware Physicians Care. “Accreditation demonstrates our commitment to quality and also enables us to continue to identify opportunities for improvement and help us fulfill our mission to provide member-focused service.

“The state of Delaware expects a quality product when they choose an organization to manage its Medicaid members, and we are pleased this independent evaluation from NCQA provides our members and providers with evidence we are meeting those expectations.”

The NCQA accredits a health plan only after it voluntarily submits to a rigorous on-site and off-site evaluation. Conducted by a team of physicians and managed care experts, the NCQA accreditation surveys involve more than 60 standards and selected Health Effectiveness Date Information Set (HEDIS®) performance metrics. A national oversight committee of physicians analyzes the team’s findings and assigns an accreditation level based on the plan’s performance in five areas—access and services, qualified providers, staying healthy, getting better and living with illness.

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. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.

About Delaware Physicians Care

Delaware Physicians Care, an Aetna health plan, is a contracted managed care organization with the State of Delaware. Currently serving more than 115,000 members, with a network of 5,000 providers, Delaware Physicians Care has been providing Delawareans with coverage since 2004. With a reputation of service and innovation, the plan is committed to promoting physical and behavioral health, using an integrated health care model and promoting member-centric initiatives.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.7 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services and health information technology services. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.