NCQA releases new accreditation standards

On March 31, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) released the first-ever performance-based accreditation standards for HMOs and other managed care organizations. The new standards, which take effect in July 1999, represent a major shift in the way health plans will demonstrate accountability in the years to come.

"This is certainly the biggest change to accreditation since the program was first launched in 1991," says Brian Schilling, NCQA spokesman. "For consumers and employers, it provides much better information to help guide their choices. By incorporating systems processes and performance, it will provide a 360-degree view of a health plan, rather than the current 180 degrees."

For more information, contact: NCQA, 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: (202) 955-3500. Fax: (202) 955-3599. Internet: www.ncqa.org.