NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - Jun 29, 2011) - HealthSpring, a leading Medicare Advantage plan, today announced that its LivingWell Health Centers have received the National Committee on Quality Assurance's (NCQA) Level III Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition, the highest level designation offered.
The National Committee on Quality Assurance is a non-profit organization nationally known for their work improving healthcare quality. The organization's Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition requires physicians or medical practice locations to meet stringent quality measures and undergo an extensive application and review process. The designation has three levels, with increasingly stringent quality standards. Level III is the highest level designation offered by the NCQA.
"We're pleased to receive the NCQA's highest designation," said Mike Mirt, president of HealthSpring. "For us, it's further validation of what we already know: LivingWell Health Centers deliver a superior member experience. Not only do we see member satisfaction rates consistently above 95 percent, we also see dramatic increases in the completion of key screenings and preventive measures such as foot and eye exams, flu shots, and mammograms. At the end of the day, it's all about helping our members live healthier, happier and more productive lives -- and LivingWell helps us do just that."
LivingWell Health Centers by HealthSpring are designed specifically for Medicare beneficiaries who are HealthSpring Medicare Advantage members. The company operates LivingWell Centers in Gallatin, Tenn.; Houston, Texas; and Mobile, Ala. The Centers provide a Care Team led by the primary care physician including a specially-trained nurse, a pharmacist and other health professionals working together for the member's care. The Centers also include on-site services such as radiology and lab and a full teaching kitchen, health classes and other educational and community support resources.
"This is obviously a key recognition for our LivingWell Health Centers," said Cheryl Dingeldein, HealthSpring director of LivingWell development and operations. "We have worked long and hard to make sure we meet or exceed the requirements for Level III Patient-Centered Medical Home designation. We know this model is so important for improving the quality of healthcare, and we are proud that our LivingWell members can know their care is meeting the very highest standards."
To find physicians who have received the NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition, visit the NCQA Physician Directory at http://recognition.ncqa.org. For more information about LivingWell Health Centers by HealthSpring, visit www.lwhc.com.
About HealthSpring
HealthSpring is based in Nashville, Tenn., and is one of the country's largest Medicare Advantage coordinated care plans. HealthSpring currently owns and operates Medicare Advantage plans in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, D.C. HealthSpring also offers a national stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan. For more information, visit www.healthspring.com. Media information is available at HealthSpring's press site: http://press.healthspring.com.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS®, the performance measurement tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation's health plans. Consumers can easily access organizations' NCQA statuses and other information on health care quality on NCQA's Web site at www.ncqa.org, or by calling NCQA Customer Support at 888-275-7585.