Jump to Page Content
New York State Insurance Dept Seal - Go to Homepage New York Consumer Guide to HMOs - Go to Homepage
HOME  |  ABOUT NYSID & NYDOH  |  CONTACT US
   USING THIS GUIDE  |  COMPARE HMOs  | PREMIUM RATES  |  NY INSURANCE OPTIONS  |  HOW TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE  | RESOURCES  | GUIDE DOWNLOADS
  Printer Friendly Version   

Do HMOs pay claims on time?

Understanding the Table

Current performance area: Prompt Pay Complaints
Compare: Selected HMOs
Source: NYSID, 2007

Plans are listed in alphabetical order.

Click here for the pdf version of the table
 
Access to Care and ServiceStaying Healthy and Living with IllnessQuality of ProvidersGrievances
ComplaintsPrompt Pay ComplaintsInternal AppealsExternal Appeals
  Sort Columns by: HMO or RANK
HMO Rank Total
Complaints
to NYSID
Total Prompt
Pay Complaints
Upheld Prompt
Pay Complaints
Premium
(Millions $)
Prompt Pay
Complaint Ratio
Aetna Health Inc. 9 272 132 56 $706.3 0.079
Americhoice of NY, Inc. 4 3 2 1 $263.8 0.004
Atlantis Health Plan, Inc. 15 130 76 61 $46.3 1.317
CDPHP 6 96 17 9 $656.8 0.014
CIGNA Healthcare of NY, Inc. 11 66 25 9 $79.5 0.113
Community Blue (HealthNow) 5 79 18 5 $953.1 0.005
Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc. 8 946 450 110 $1,906.5 0.058
Excellus Health Plan, Inc. 7 201 72 28 $1,825.5 0.015
GHI HMO Select, Inc. 14 116 56 21 $102.5 0.205
Health Net of NY, Inc. 12 298 189 76 $491.2 0.155
HIP HMO 10 1,505 1,045 628 $6,565.9 0.096
Independent Health Association, Inc. (IHA) 2 27 3 0 $600.6 0.000
MVP Health Plan, Inc. 1 97 28 0 $924.8 0.000
Oxford Health Plans of NY, Inc. 13 1,828 918 330 $1,636.3 0.202
Rochester Area HMO, Inc. (Preferred Care) 3 17 3 0 $354.3 0.000
Total   5,681 3,034 1,334 17,113.5 Avg.=0.151



Understanding the Table

You will find information about prompt pay complaints against HMOs that were reviewed and closed by the New York State Insurance Department in the year 2007. New York law requires that all HMOs pay providers and members within 45 days of receipt of an undisputed claim for health care services.

The Insurance Department reviews each complaint, then decides if the HMO is at fault and needs to remedy the problem. An upheld prompt pay complaint occurs when the Department agrees with the member or provider that a payment was late (or that the HMO made a late decision not to pay the claim).

The table ranks HMOs by their prompt pay complaint ratio from best (lowest prompt pay ratio) to worst (highest prompt pay ratio). A better ranking means that the HMO had fewer upheld complaints relative to its size. HMOs with a larger premium typically have more members and therefore, more complaints than smaller HMOs. For each HMO, the table will tell you:

  • Prompt Pay Complaints Rank - HMOs ranked by their prompt pay complaint ratio from best (lowest ratio) to worst (highest ratio). A better ranking means that the HMO had fewer upheld complaints relative to its size.

  • Total Complaints to NYSID - Total complaints closed by NYSID in 2007. Complaints to the Insurance Department typically involve issues concerning payment, reimbursement, coverage, benefits, rates and premiums.

  • Total Prompt Pay Complaints - Total number of prompt pay complaints closed by NYSID in 2007.

  • Upheld Prompt Pay Complaints - Number of closed prompt pay complaints in 2007 where NYSID agrees with the consumer or provider.

  • Premium* - Dollar amount of premiums generated by a HMO in New York during 2007. Premiums are used in calculating the complaint ratio so that different sized HMOs can be compared fairly.

  • Prompt Pay Complaint Ratio - Number of upheld prompt pay complaints divided by a HMO's total annual premium.

* Premium and Membership data exclude Medicare and Medicaid.

Keep in mind...

Large HMOs may receive more complaints because they serve more people and pay more claims than smaller HMOs.

The NYSID has established a dedicated hotline for consumers and providers to file prompt pay complaints at 1‑800‑358‑9260.

The Prompt Pay Complaints category is only one of eight performance areas presented.

 

< Previous Performance Area Next Performance Area >

 

return to the top

 

State of New York
David A. Paterson
Governor
State of New York
Department of Insurance
Eric R. Dinallo
Superintendent of Insurance
State of New York
Department of Health
Richard F. Daines, M.D.
Commissioner
Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy   |   Tell Us What You Think

Copyright © 2008 New York State Insurance Department