SANTA BARBARA — CenCal Health rated in the top 5 percent of Medicaid plans nationally for 2 important areas of care, and in the top 10 percent for an additional 12 areas of care according to the most recent state quality measurement ratings. For CenCal Health’s Santa Barbara County managed care product, these exceptional results rated fourth statewide among Medi-Cal health plans.

The State of California began evaluating industry-standard quality indicators 18 years ago, and this year marks the best overall performance that CenCal Health has ever achieved. CenCal Health’s performance is assessed annually using HEDIS®, which is the measurement tool used by the nation’s health plans to evaluate their performance in terms of clinical quality and customer service.

“I would like to thank our healthcare providers, hospitals, our staff and our partners for helping us give the best care possible to our members,” said Bob Freeman, CEO of CenCal Health. “This achievement would not be possible without the support of our stakeholders. We take pride in the care our physicians and hospitals provide to each and every patient.”

High performance levels were achieved in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties in diabetes care, prenatal care, and nutritional and physical activity counseling among children and adolescents. Additionally, in Santa Barbara County, excellent results were achieved in asthma treatment. This means healthier pregnancies, healthier children in school, and better management of diseases like diabetes and asthma, and that is important for our entire community’s health.

About HEDIS

The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is a tool used by the California Department of Health Care Services, CenCal Health, and more than 90 percent of America’s health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service. HEDIS is a set of standardized performance measures designed to ensure that purchasers and consumers have the information they need to reliably compare health care quality.

HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. It accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Web site (www.ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

If you would like to learn more about these services, visit CenCal Health’s website at www.cencalhealth.org or call (800) 421-2560. Detailed results from our performance are available on the CenCal Health website atwww.cencalhealth.org/providers/quality-of-care/hedis

About CenCal Health 

CenCal Health provides health insurance for approximately 20 percent of residents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, or nearly 180,000 members. CenCal Health coverage is accepted by the vast majority of local health care providers. CenCal Health has served the community for 34 years, and provides education and assistance to its members in order to reduce potential health problems from chronic illness such as diabetes and asthma. For more information, visit www.cencalhealth.org or find CenCal Health on Facebook.