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June 29, 2006
LOS ANGELES - A new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research shows that more than 96 percent (nearly 24 million) of insured Californians report "good" or better satisfaction with their health care. Researchers note that while the overall rate of satisfaction with health care is high among the state's insured population, many consumers are not obtaining recommended preventive services.
"While these satisfaction rates are impressive, these data underscore the need for patients to seek out and obtain recommended preventive care," said Gerald F. Kominski, PhD, associate director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and lead author of the brief.
In their review of data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey - the most comprehensive survey of the state's residents on health issues - the brief's authors found that while customer satisfaction was high across all forms of health insurance, there was some variation in levels among PPO/Fee-for-Service (FFS) and HMO enrollees. Among all insured, PPO/FFS enrollees reported slightly higher satisfaction rates than HMOs, and this trend is noteworthy among patients in private or employer-based plans. However, among those insured by Medi-Cal or Healthy Families, satisfaction is slightly higher for HMOs than PPO/FFS.
As with rates of satisfaction, the rates of preventive services are also generally high. However, HMO and PPO/FFS enrollees have slightly different rates for a number of services, such as screenings for prostate, breast and cervical cancer, and measures such as taking daily medicine to control asthma and having an asthma management plan. Generally, the research found that HMOs had better rates of providing those measures that were tracked by the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS), which gives consumers the ability to compare plans across a number of different performance measures. Conversely, PPO/FFS patients tend to have better access than HMO enrollees to services not tracked by HEDIS.
"Public reporting of HEDIS data can be an important incentive for health plans to provide this type of care, but it is also important for consumers to make sure they ask their doctors about what tests and screenings they should be getting," said Ed Mendoza, acting director of the California Office of the Patient Advocate, the state agency that commissioned the study.
Since it was first conducted in 2001, the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) has been an essential tool for policy makers, researchers and health advocates at every level needing a detailed snapshot of the complex health needs of California's diverse population. The survey is a collaborative project of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the California Department of Health Services, and the Public Health Institute.
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research was established in 1994 and is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers. It is also the premier source of key health policy information for California. The Center is based in the UCLA School of Public Health and is affiliated with the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
View the report:
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