J.D. Power and Associates Reports:

Dean Health Plan Ranks Highest in Member Satisfaction among Health Plans in the Minnesota-Wisconsin Region for a Second Consecutive Year

April 1, 2010 - Dean Health Plan ranks highest in member satisfaction with health plans in the Minnesota-Wisconsin region for a second consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Member Health Insurance Plan Study released today.

Now in its fourth year, the study measures satisfaction among members who purchased their coverage individually or through their employer from 133 health plans in 17 regions throughout the U.S. The study examines seven key factors: coverage and benefits; provider choice; information and communication; claims processing; statements; customer service; and approval processes.

Dean Health Plan achieves a score of 750 on a 1,000-point scale and performs well in the Minnesota-Wisconsin region in four of the seven factors: coverage and benefits; information and communication; claims processing; and statements. Following Dean Health Plan in the regional rankings are HealthPartners (731) and BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota (700).

"The recent healthcare debate has demonstrated just how complicated the health insurance market can be," said Jim Dougherty, director of the healthcare practice at J.D. Power and Associates.. "Health plans that focus on building relationships through member education, communication and reliable, consistent delivery of health insurance products and services are the most successful in delivering a satisfying member experience-which, in turn, may give them an edge in today's competitive environment."

According to Dougherty, health plans can create a foundation for a more satisfying member experience by providing subscribers with a strong understanding of how their health plans work. Members with higher levels of understanding also tend to be more loyal and are better advocates for the health plan.

"Health insurance plans that proactively strive to provide an outstanding member experience will be best positioned to retain and acquire employer customers and individual members in the new healthcare exchanges, and demonstrate value in an increasingly competitive marketplace."

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, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.