News Releases

Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. Named to U.S. News & World Report/NCQA "America’s Best Health Plans 2007"

Contact:
Angela Feig
515.245.4551
feigab@wellmark.com

(Des Moines, Iowa)-- Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. ranked 63rd out of 224 accredited commercial managed care plans in America, according to a joint ranking by U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).  Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa serves nearly 225,000 members in 82 counties statewide.

The November 5^th, 2007 issue of U.S. News & World Report ranks the nation’s best health plans based on clinical quality, member satisfaction and NCQA Accreditation scores.  Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa received high marks for assuring that its members received appropriate asthma medications and treatment, comprehensive diabetes care, timely childhood immunizations, and appropriate antidepressant medication management.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it could not happen without the excellent support given to our members by our network providers,” says Cliff Gold, president, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. 

Previously, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa earned the NCQA’s highest rating, an “Excellent” Accreditation, based on the health plan’s HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) scores and member satisfaction scores for seven years in a row.

In addition, Wellmark maintained NCQA’s “Distinction” status as an “early adopter” of NCQA’s new Care Management and Health Improvement (CHI) standards. These standards are part of NCQA’s Quality Plus program, which allows NCQA-Accredited plans to pursue additional distinction in selected areas by meeting tough new standards before they become mandatory.

Wellmark, Inc. (www.wellmark.com) does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa.  Wellmark and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., insure or pay health benefit claims for approximately two million individuals.  Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. 

America’s Best Health Plans is a trademark of U.S. News & World Report

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality.  NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations, recognizes physicians and physician groups in key clinical areas and manages the evolution of HEDIS, the tool the nation’s health plans use to measure and report on their performance.  “HEDIS” is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

Copyright© 2008 Wellmark, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross®, Blue Shield®, and the Cross® and Shield® symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.