Using a new methodology, NCQA has announced their Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015–2016. NCQA studied 1,358 health plans and rated 1,016: 491 private (commercial), 376 Medicare and 149 Medicaid. The ratings align with the CMS Star Ratings of Medicare Advantage plans, and incorporate health outcomes and consumer satisfaction data.

NCQA reports that analysis of their ratings indicates New England and Great Lakes Plans Perform Best: States with the highest percentage of plans receiving a 4.5 or 5.0 out of 5 rating include Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, as well as Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

NCQA also noted that high and low performers are rare: Of the 1,016 rated plans, 116 (11%) received a top rating of 4.5 or 5.0 out of 5. Fifty-four (5%) earned the lowest ratings of 1.0 to 2.0. Most plans are in the middle, approximating a “bell curve” when all plans’ performances are plotted on a graph.

Healthsprocket lists have been posted for the health plans receiving the highest (5.0) rating for Commercial and Medicare plans (only one plan was rated 5.0 for Medicaid - Kaiser Foundation Health Plan - Hawaii):
NCQA Commercial Health Plan with a 5.0 (Highest) Rating for 2015–2016
NCQA Medicare Health Plan with a 5.0 (Highest) Rating for 2015–2016