The non-profit NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance) reported that 563 health plans submitting data to its database have gotten better at tasks like managing high blood pressure and cholesterol. But according to a NCQA announcement, the report concludes that “the system is deeply polarized, delivering excellent care to some people, and generally poor care to many others.”
NCQA President Margaret E. OKane said that the reported improvements paint an overly rosy picture. “We only have data for accountable health plans. Why dont we have performance data for the other 75% of the U.S. health care system? All types of health plans, hospitals and doctors should report on their performance. How else can we make informed choices?”
The report is available from NCQA in pdf form.