PITTSBURGH, June 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third year in a row, UPMC Health Plan ranks highest in Pennsylvania in overall member satisfaction according to the J.D. Power 2018 Commercial Member Health Plan Study^SM.

UPMC Health Plan ranks ahead of all seven other Pennsylvania health insurers in overall member satisfaction and also ranks significantly higher than the regional average.

The study measures member satisfaction with a health plan by examining six key study factors, including coverage and benefits, provider choice, information and communication, claims processing, cost, and customer service. UPMC Health Plan earned a five (out of five) in each of the six individual categories.

"Member satisfaction is our most important goal at UPMC Health Plan and providing a superior level of customer service for our more than 3.4 million members has always been a core tenet of our mission," said Diane P. Holder, president and CEO of UPMC Health Plan. "Navigating the complex world of health care can be daunting, but we believe in providing excellent service throughout all levels of our organization. We think this commitment to customer satisfaction is one of the keys to our consistently above industry average member retention rate."

UPMC Health Plan's current member retention rate across commercial products is 97%, which is well above the industry average of 85%.

According to the J.D. Power 2018 Commercial Member Health Plan Study^SM, member satisfaction is significantly higher when members view their health plan as a trusted partner, while member trust is rooted in ongoing engagement. UPMC Health Plan excels in these areas with services such as online cost estimator tools and the UPMC Health Plan and UPMC Consumer Advantage mobile apps.

The study also noted that consumers across the country want both faster and increased overall access to care. UPMC Health Plan provides its members with access to more than 127 hospitals, 20,000 physicians, and 60,000 pharmacies across Pennsylvania, along with the new UPMC AnywhereCare app that provides 24/7 access to UPMC emergency room professionals.

The J.D. Power 2018 Commercial Member Health Plan Study^SM measures satisfaction among members of 163 health plans in 22 regions throughout the United States. The information is used by health plans nationwide to evaluate service quality.

UPMC Health Plan consistently ranks near the top of the state ranking and this year marks the third consecutive year UPMC Health Plan has earned top honors in Pennsylvania.

Over the past two years, UPMC Health Plan has been recognized for outstanding customer service by several additional organizations, including earning a total of four Gold Stevie Awards; the Voice of the Customer Excellence Award from Service Quality Measurement (SQM) Group; and the Best Large Contact Center Award from the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI).

About the UPMC Insurance Services Division

The UPMC Insurance Services Division is owned by UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) a world-renowned health care provider and insurer based in Pittsburgh, Pa. The UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, WorkPartners, UPMC for Life, UPMC for You, UPMC for Kids, and Community Care Behavioral Health — offers a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance and workers' compensation products and services to more than 3.4 million members. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a marketing, consumer intelligence, and data and analytics company that helps its clients measure, understand, and improve the key performance metrics that drive their growth and profitability. J.D. Power's industry benchmarks, unique data and analytics platform and reputation for independence and credibility has established the company as one of the world's most well-known and trusted providers of Voice of the Customer insights. Established in 1968, J.D. Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and has offices in North/South America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com.

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SOURCE UPMC Health Plan