First survey of Medicare HMO members conducted
A survey of 5,932 retirees has found that 68% are extremely satisfied or very satisfied with their Medicare HMO plan. Close to 5 million Americans have enrolled in such managed care plans and roughly 100,000 more join each month. Until this survey, however, little has been known about how enrollees perceive their performance.
The survey is a joint effort by the managed care research company CareData Reports Inc., the consulting firm Towers Perrin, and more than 30 of the nation’s largest employers providing retiree health benefits. Key findings are as follows:
• Among the Medicare HMO enrollees previously in traditional Medicare, 61% rate the Medicare HMOs as better, 19% the same, while 20% prefer traditional Medicare.
• Eighty percent would re-enroll in their plans, while only 6% would not.
• While 78% of respondents are highly satisfied with quality of medical care in their plans, only 58% are highly satisfied with medical coverage while away from home.
• Eighty-three percent are highly satisfied with the ease of becoming a patient of the desired primary care physician.
• Seventy-seven percent are highly satisfied with their prescription drug program a benefit not included in traditional Medicare.
• Highest ratings were given to hospital issues, with 94% reporting that they were able to remain hospitalized as long as they and their doctor thought necessary. Eighty-one percent are highly satisfied with coverage for emergency department visits.
"This survey is the most in-depth evaluation to date of attitudes about Medicare HMO plans," says Joe Martindale, a Towers Perrin principal and leader of the firm’s Medicare HMO initiative. "It goes a long way toward addressing recent concerns about managed care." CareData’s CEO, Tod Cooperman, MD, adds that the "results of this survey will be useful to the consumer, HMO executive, medical researcher, as well as government agencies."
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