Every year, Paramount measures members’ satisfaction with the quality of their care and services. Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS^®)* surveys are conducted as part of our Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS^®)** review. These surveys are important because they help us understand how we can provide you with better care and service. They also enable us to judge how we compare with health plans across the nation.

Again, this year, the results were strong. When compared to the national average, Paramount scored higher in eight of 11 measures. Paramount members rated their specialist physicians in the top 10 percent in the United States. Rating of Health Plan and Rating of Personal Doctor ranked in the top 25 percent of health plans nationally. Here’s how Paramount compares to the 2008 national averages in member satisfaction for Quality Compass^®**.

Measure	Paramount Rate	National Average
Getting Needed Care	81.8%	83.5%
Getting Care Quickly	86.9%	84.5%
How Well Doctors Communicate	93.0%	92.1%
Health Plan’s Customer Service	83.9%	81.6%
Claims Processing	88.1%	87.5%
Shared Decision Making	57.0%	59.3%
Plan Information on Costs (new)	71.8%	n/a
Rating of Health Care	75.3%	72.9%
Rating of Health Plan	69.4%	64.2%
Rating of Personal Doctor	83.7%	80.4%
Rating of Specialist Seen Most Often	88.1%	79.5%

Accredited health plans significantly outperform nonaccredited plans. Public disclosure of performance data and independent accreditation remain important expectations of both public- and private-sector purchasers. For these reasons, Paramount remains committed to public reporting by maintaining accreditation through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and achieving clinical performance results that compare favorably to national standards.

* CAHPS^® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

** HEDIS^® and Quality Compass^® are registered trademarks of the NCQA.