Ohio Medicaid releases report cards for managed-care plans

Medicaid officials released this week the state’s first report card of managed-care plans (Source: “State releases report card on Medicaid's managed-care plans,” Columbus Dispatch, Aug. 18, 2015).

Each of the state’s five Medicaid managed-care plans received one, two or three stars in each of five categories on the scorecard: access to care; doctors’ communication and service; keeping kids healthy; helping those living with chronic illness; and women’s care.

Of the 3 million Ohioans enrolled in tax-funded Medicaid, about 80 percent are in managed care, served by one of five plans.

“The idea was to present individuals, when they have to pick a managed-care plan, some kind of data so they can select a plan,” said Ohio Medicaid Director John McCarthy.

“It’s our first attempt at transparency and creates some healthy competition” among plans, McCarthy added.