The State Insurance Commissioner is getting ready to launch a review of PPO health plans. He says the first-in-the-nation report will drive up the quality of care. Others say it won't really help consumers. From Sacramento, Jenny O'Mara reports.
State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner says the six largest preferred provider organizations, or PPOs, are volunteering to take part in the review. They include Health Net and Blue Shield.
Poizner says the review will include overall ratings on service and on different types of care.
Poizner : The report card will shine a spotlight on healthcare best practices and compare how well these health insurance companies do relative to the best performance of healthcare providers anywhere in the United States.
The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights has criticized a similar state review of HMOs. They also questioned whether healthcare organizations would participate voluntarily if they feared real criticisms. The first report card is scheduled to be released in 2009.
