Welcome to the Department's 2009 edition of its comprehensive consumer guide to health insurance. The Guide provides consumers with information about the quality of care their HMOs and health insurers are providing so they can make informed decisions about their health care.

In addition to the traditional ranking of consumer complaints, the guide includes a comprehensive review and comparison of quality of care indicators and other performance measures such as early prenatal care, and cholesterol screenings after strokes and other acute cardiovascular events. Plus, the report allows consumers to compare plans based on the number of prompt pay complaints, grievances and utilization review appeals that are charged against them. Data on external review decisions by insurers are also included.

The Guide includes:

• A 2008 ranking of HMOs and health insurers based on complaints to the Insurance Department;
• The number of grievances filed by consumers with HMOs and health insurers;
• Appeals by consumers of Utilization Review (UR) decisions rendered by HMOs and health insurers;
• The percentage of grievances and UR appeals decided in the consumer's favor;
• The number of independent external reviews of medical necessity that were reversed in the consumer's favor;
• HMO enrollee satisfaction surveys; and
• Key information about New York's health insurance market and programs, such as Healthy NY, that offer health insurance to small businesses, working uninsured individuals, and children.

This publication is available in PDF format via the link below. Please note that you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF files. The Adobe Acrobat Reader can be obtained by selecting the 'Get Acrobat Reader' icon link here.

New York Consumer Guide to Health Insurers

Please also visit our:

• Updated for 2009! INTERACTIVE New York Consumer Guide to HMOs.
• Updated monthly! Premium Rates for HMO Standard Individual Health Plans by County.

Updated 09/01/2009