Dean Health Plan Ranks Highest In Member Satisfaction Three Years in a Row

March 17, 2011 (Madison, Wis.) - Dean Health Plan (DHP) ranks highest in member satisfaction with health plans in the Minnesota-Wisconsin region for a third consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Member Health Insurance Plan Study^SM released today.

Now in its fifth year, the study measures satisfaction among members who purchased their coverage individually or through their employer from 137 health plans in 17 regions throughout the U.S. The study examines seven key factors: coverage and benefits; provider choice; information and communication; claims processing; statements; customer service; and approval processes.

Dean Health Plan achieves a score of 748 on a 1,000-point scale and performs well in the Minnesota-Wisconsin region in four of the seven factors: Coverage and Benefits, Provider Choice, Claims Processing, and Information and Communication.

Member satisfaction with health plans that share characteristics of integrated delivery systems (IDS) is considerably higher than member satisfaction with plans in which the provider and payer are not part of the same organization, according to the J.D. Power and Associates study.

“While not every IDS is created alike, an advantage of these plans is that interactions center on the member as a patient, because the provider and plan are integrated,” according to the J.D. Power and Associates study. “The higher level of satisfaction with integrated plans is particularly important with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which will result in the creation of accountable care organizations modeled after the IDS approach.”

In addition, the study shows that members from integrated plans tend to be more satisfied with information and communication, as well as coverage and benefits, than do members of non-IDS plans, which highlights how improvement in these factors may go a long way toward improving overall health plan satisfaction.

Lon Sprecher, DHP’s president and chief executive officer is pleased with the vote of confidence from members in the region. “Our number-one priority is providing the best possible customer experience,” he says. “Dean Health Plan’s integration with Dean Clinics, SSM Health Care of Wisconsin is a vital part of the relationship we share with our membership.”

Dean Health Plan is the insurance services subsidiary of Dean Health System and SSM Health Care, offering an extensive network of more than 2,000 practitioners, 80 clinic sites, and 26 hospitals.

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on cell phone ratings, car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies