Managed care organizations publicly reporting three years of HEDIS measures.

The author compares the results of MCOs that have publicly reported their Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) rates for 1997 through 1999 with health plans that did not report publicly. Managed care plans that publicly reported for three consecutive years performed better on preventive health measures than those that did not. Newer measures, such as beta-blocker treatment after a heart attack, showed the greatest improvement over time. Health care plans rated high in consumer experience also had higher clinical performance rates. Finally, plans that sought accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance had better performance on their HEDIS measures, although the differences narrowed for those reporting HEDIS rates for three consecutive years.