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Full Accreditation status for popular PPO plans “a significant achievement” LOUISVILLE, KY - Jan 23, 2007 - Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) today announced that the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded its top accreditation - "Full Accreditation" - to Humana Health Plan, Inc. of Kentucky, for its commercial line of PPO products. Humana has also received NCQA's highest - or "Excellent Accreditation" - for its commercial line of HMO and POS products, all of which meet or exceed NCQA's requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement.
Regarding the PPO recognition, Full Accreditation status is granted to PPO plans that have "excellent programs for continuous quality improvement and meet NCQA's rigorous standards." The review focuses specifically on areas of interest to consumers and employers, including consumer protection, member service, access to care and provider credentialing. Jeff Bringardner, president of Humana's Kentucky commercial operations, said the award "demonstrates to our many PPO health-plan members and employer-customers that Humana is committed to continually improving the products we offer. Humana is widely recognized as an industry leader in providing guidance that enables our members to be savvy health care consumers. This recognition from NCQA provides further evidence of the value Humana has to offer." Greg Pawlson, M.D., executive vice president of NCQA, said that to earn this accreditation level, "a PPO must adhere to a rigorous set of requirements designed to keep patients safe and ensure that they have access to care and excellent service. It is a significant achievement and we commend any PPO that steps forward to participate in the process." It's the first time Humana - Kentucky has applied for and received NCQA recognition of its PPO plans. NCQA's PPO accreditation process evaluates how well a PPO plan manages all parts of its delivery system - physicians, hospitals, other providers and administrative services - in order to continuously improve health care for its members. The review process is voluntary, with surveys that include rigorous on-site and off-site evaluations of 43 standards. A team of physicians and PPO experts conducts accreditation surveys. "Earning Full Accreditation shows that a PPO is providing access to care and high-quality service; it shows that the organization looks after its members' interests," Dr. Pawlson said. The "Excellent Accreditation" for its HMO & POS plans, which Humana also received for its Kentucky health-plan offerings, is reserved for the best HMO & POS health plans in the nation, according to NCQA. Humana has previously applied for and received this accreditation for its HMO & POS plans. About Humana Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with more than 11 million medical members. Humana offers a diversified portfolio of health insurance products and related services - through traditional and consumer-choice plans - to employer groups, government-sponsored plans, and individuals. Over its 46-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of: About NCQA NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to measuring the quality of America's health care. NCQA Accreditation is a nationally recognized evaluation that purchasers, regulators and consumers can use to assess health care plans. |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jim Turner  |
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