Do commercial managed care members rate their health plans differently than Medicaid managed care members?
OBJECTIVE
To determine if members of commercial managed care and Medicaid managed care rate the experience with their health plans differently.


METHODS
Data from both commercial and Medicaid Consumer Assessment of Health Plan Surveys (CAHPS) in New York State.


METHODS
Regression models were used to determine the effect of population (commercial or Medicaid) on a member's rating of their health plan, controlling for health status, age, gender, education, race/ethnicity, number of office visits, and place of residence.


METHODS
Managed care plans are required to submit to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) results of the annual commercial CAHPS survey. The NYSDOH conducted a survey of Medicaid enrollees using Medicaid CAHPS.


RESULTS
Medicaid managed care members in excellent or very good health rate their health plan higher than commercial members in excellent or very good health. There is no difference in health plan rating for commercial and Medicaid members in good, fair, or poor health. Older, less educated, black, and Hispanic members who live outside New York City are more likely to rate their managed care plan higher.


CONCLUSIONS
Medicaid members rating of their health care equals or exceeds ratings by commercial members.
Roohan
Patrick J
PJ
Bureau of Quality Management and Outcomes Research, Office of Managed Care, New York State Department of Health, Albany 12237, USA.
Franko
Scott J
SJ
Anarella
Joseph P
JP
Dellehunt
Laura K
LK
Gesten
Foster C
FC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000145:classification* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008484:Medicaid / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017149:Private Sector / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States