California Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings – NCQA (2024)

California Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings – NCQA (1)

NCQA Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2019-2020 - Summary Report (Private/Commercial)

Search for a health insurance plan by state, plan name or plan type (private, Medicaid, Medicare). Click a plan name for a detailed analysis.

In 2019, NCQA rated more than 1,000 health insurance plans based on clinical quality, member satisfaction and NCQA Accreditation Survey results. Ratings emphasize care outcomes (the results of care) and what patients say about their care.

The overall rating is the weighted average of all measures, not the average of the three composites (Consumer Satisfaction, Prevention, Treatment). For more information about the ratings, including how they are calculated, visit our 2019 ratings page.

Note: There were no Health Plan Ratings in 2020. See our Health Plan Ratings Marketing and Advertising Guidelines for more information regarding the continued usage of 2019-2020 Health Plan Ratings for advertising and marketing purposes.

Lower Performance Higher Performance

≤1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
Rating
Plan Name
States
Type
NCQA Accreditation
Consumer Satisfaction

California Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings – NCQA (2)

Prevention

California Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings – NCQA (3)

Treatment

California Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings – NCQA (4)

4.5

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. - Southern California CA HMO Yes

2.5

5.0

4.5

4.5

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. - Northern California CA HMO Yes

3.0

5.0

4.5

4.5

Sharp Health Plan CA HMO Yes

4.0

4.0

4.0

3.5

Aetna Health of California Inc. CA HMO/POS Yes

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company CA PPO/EPO Yes

2.5

3.0

3.0

3.5

Blue Cross of California dba Anthem Blue Cross CA HMO/POS Yes

2.5

3.5

3.0

3.5

Blue Cross of California dba Anthem Blue Cross CA PPO/EPO Yes

2.5

3.0

3.0

3.5

Blue Shield of California CA HMO/POS Yes

2.5

3.5

3.0

3.5

Chinese Community Health Plan CA HMO No

2.0

3.5

I

3.5

Health Net Life Insurance Company - California CA PPO/EPO Yes

2.5

3.5

3.0

3.5

Health Net of California, Inc. CA HMO/POS Yes

2.5

3.5

3.0

3.5

United HealthCare Services, Inc. (California) CA PPO Yes

2.0

3.0

3.0

3.5

UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company (California) CA PPO Yes

2.0

3.0

3.0

3.5

UnitedHealthcare of California (formerly PacifiCare of California) CA HMO Yes

2.5

3.5

2.5

3.5

Western Health Advantage CA HMO Yes

2.5

3.5

3.0

3.0

Aetna Life Insurance Company (California) CA PPO/EPO Yes

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.0

Blue Shield of California CA PPO Yes I

2.5

2.5

3.0

Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company CA PPO Yes I

2.5

2.5

3.0

Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company - California CA PPO/EPO Yes

2.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

Cigna HealthCare of California, Inc. CA HMO/POS Yes

2.0

3.5

2.5

12
California Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings – NCQA (2024)

FAQs

Which health care plan is best in California? ›

Kaiser Permanente is the best health insurance company in California. Kaiser Permanente has the highest quality and satisfaction rating possible, according to Covered California. In most of California, Kaiser isn't the cheapest option.

What is the number one health insurance company in California? ›

Kaiser Permanente is California's best overall health insurer in 2024. MoneyGeek also lists the best providers for various needs and preferences, analyzing factors such as age, maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs and plan types.

What does NCQA examines when rating a health plan? ›

NCQA ratings are based on three types of quality measures: measures of clinical quality from NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®2); measures of consumer satisfaction using Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®3); and results from NCQA's review of a health plan's ...

Is Blue Shield HMO better than PPO? ›

HMO plans are generally less expensive than PPO plans, with lower monthly payments, making them ideal if your favorite doctors are already in the network, or if you receive most of your care close to home.

What is the CMS Stars rating for health plans? ›

CMS gathers information from member satisfaction surveys, plans, and health care providers to give an overall performance rating for plans. Ratings range from one to five stars, with five being the highest score a plan can get.

What is the difference between CMS and NCQA? ›

CMS rules allow for deeming of some of the requirements it audits for by a CMS-approved private, national accreditation organization. CMS approved NCQA for deeming of Special Needs Plans (SNPs) Model of Care (MOC) requirements. NCQA evaluates plans against a set of standards for MOCs.

What is NCQA health Plan Accreditation? ›

NCQA Health Plan Accreditation is a nationally recognized evaluation that purchasers, regulators and consumers can use to assess health plans. physicians, hospitals, other providers and administrative services—in order to continuously improve the quality of care and services provided to its members.

How many states require NCQA accreditation? ›

Twenty-seven states require that health plans serving their Medicaid population be accredited by NCQA – with seven others accepting our HPA as meeting broad accreditation requirements. Beyond simply requiring HPA, twelve states use the results of the accreditation process to satisfy federal oversight requirements.

Can an individual be NCQA certified? ›

The NCQA PCMH Content Expert Certification program certifies individuals who demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the patient-centered medical home model of care and the NCQA PCMH Recognition Program, including a mastery of the NCQA concepts, criteria and the PCMH Recognition process.

How long is NCQA accreditation good for? ›

Accredited-3 years: NCQA awards a status of Accredited – 3 years to organizations that demonstrate strong performance of the functions outlined in the standards for CM-LTSS accreditation.

Which is better a PPO or a HMO Advantage plan? ›

HMO plans typically have lower monthly premiums. You can also expect to pay less out of pocket. PPOs tend to have higher monthly premiums in exchange for the flexibility to use providers both in and out of network without a referral.

Is Medi-Cal as good as Covered California? ›

What is the difference in coverage between Medi-Cal and Covered California? ​​​​ Medi-Cal is health coverage, just like the coverage offered through Covered California. Medi-Cal provides benefits similar to the coverage options available through Covered California, but often at lower or no cost to you or your family.

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