How to Choose Quality Health Care

Health care plans differ widely in quality. Searching for the best health care plan involves not only comparing monthly costs and knowing what treatments are covered, but also which plans offer specialist services for specific conditions. Additionally, some health care plans are much more comprehensive than others, covering preventative health treatments as well as treatments for illnesses already contracted.



Use the wealth of publicly available data to compare and contrast the variety of available health care plans, their ratings, and the ratings of the medical institutions and physicians who work within each plan.

Instructions

• 1

  Examine and compare the consumer ratings of different health care plans online. Consumer ratings of health care plans are based on a Consumer Assessment of Health Plans survey, as well as on the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set member satisfaction survey. These two surveys are very similar in their approach to gauging customer satisfaction.

  Compare consumer ratings on important issues such as the accessibility/communication skills of physicians operating within particular health care plans, ability to change from unsatisfactory doctors and waiting time for appointments and procedures under specific plans (see Resources).

• 2

  Compare the clinical performance measures, or "technical quality" measures, of differing health care plans. Clinical performance measures rate the effectiveness of a health care plan--and the physicians and hospitals working within them--in preventing and treating illness. These ratings are not given by the general public, but are instead the result of compiled institutional data which is made available to the general public.

  Clinical performance measure data of health care plans, as well as consumer health care plan ratings, can both be found in quality reports and accreditation reports online (see Resources).

• 3

  Make a list of doctors in your area who specialize in treating any specific conditions you may suffer from. Compare their consumer ratings, and determine under which health care plans you can receive their care, by going to the Administrators In Medicine DocFinder website, or by using the search engine at the American Board of Medical Specialties website.

  Both organizations will also be able to inform you whether a specific doctor is board-specified, and can give you specifics regarding any physician training and their background that may be tailored to your needs.