Kaiser Permanente Ranks Highest in 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Employer Satisfaction Study

Kaiser Permanente leads fully insured commercial health plans in employer satisfaction

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Jul 14, 2011, 03:00 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente announced today that employers ranked the organization's health plan the highest among fully insured commercial health plans in the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Employer Health Insurance Plan StudySM. The organization received top marks across five key areas that affect employer satisfaction with carriers, including employee plan service experience; account servicing; product offering/benefit design; problem resolution; and cost/cost management.

Based on a 1,000 point scale, Kaiser Permanente received 714 points – well above the overall satisfaction index average of 671.

"We are honored by this recognition in J.D. Power's employer satisfaction study for health plans," said Arthur M. Southam, MD, executive vice president, Health Plan Operations for Kaiser Permanente. "The results are particularly gratifying in that they reflect the perceptions of our employer group customers in terms of the key factors that affect their ongoing satisfaction. This acknowledgment further strengthens our commitment to deliver superior service to our customers."

For more than 60 years, employers have relied on Kaiser Permanente's integrated care delivery system to treat employees when they are ill and to provide a range of preventive services that promote employee health and productivity. Among Kaiser Permanente's workforce health programs, HealthWorks by Kaiser Permanente provides a rich set of services that help businesses build strategies to improve employee health. In fact, businesses of any size can access free, online workforce health tools and resources via "Thrive 9 to 5" - http://thrivewithkp.org/9to5.

"We have long recognized the importance of a healthy workforce and the need for employers to manage their health care costs," said Elisa Mendel, national vice president, Kaiser Permanente HealthWorks. "As companies invest in preventive care and employee wellness programs, many employers will continue to see positive results, including reduced absenteeism and presenteeism, and increased productivity and morale. We're so pleased to know that employers are happy with our performance, programs, and services."

The J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Employer Health Insurance Plan StudySM examines overall satisfaction with contracted health plans, as reported by more than 7,000 employers responsible for health benefit design and health insurance carrier performance. The study was conducted between March and April 2011.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on cell phone ratings, car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.8 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente