Readers Of Consumer Reports Relate What is Right, What Is Wrong with Health Insurance, and Pick Their Favorites.
Readers of Consumer Reports are a verbal group. They just love to tell the world what is right and what is wrong about the products they use, or services they receive. The magazine’s annual survey on Healthcare Insurance satisfaction was recently published. And as usual readers had a lot to say about what they did and did not like about their healthcare insurance plans.
The survey poled almost 40,000 readers of CR who had health insurance coverage through enrolment in a managed care organization (PPO or HMO). Overall the survey found that 1 out of 5 polled were dissatisfied enough with their health insurance plan that they would consider switching to another medical insurance provider. The chief complaints of those with such an opinion of their particular healthcare insurance plans were high out of pocket costs and limited choice of healthcare practitioners.
On the other hand that means a majority, 67% of respondents, were overall satisfied with their health insurance plans. And many readers gave their healthcare insurance provider very high marks. Among the top rated HMO plans according to readers of Consumer Reports who were surveyed: Tufts Health Plan available in Massachusetts and other parts of New England and Blue Choice, part of Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York.
The Northeast again scored high in the PPO’s with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut receiving a high rating of satisfaction in terms of doctors’ choice among the readers. However people satisfied with their affordable health insurance coverage were not limited to the Northeast. Two other highly ranked PPO’s were Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.
Readers admitted that strictly from a cost standpoint they preferred the low cost health insurance offered by enrollment in an HMO, however many did complain of the limited choice. For greater choice in providers PPO’s are more expensive, but do afford more freedom as far as managed care health insurance plans go.
Readers with conditions that required they use their health insurance complained that HMO’s often did not provide the care they felt they needed. While those enrolled in PPO’s whom required care most often complained about billing issues and the high cost of out of pocket medical expenses for treatment.
You can find complete results of the survey at www.consumerreports.org