Utah Health Insurance - 2009 Health Plan Consumer Satisfaction Report

The Utah Department of Health just recently completed their report of the findings they came up with from a survey of the residents of Utah. The overall findings have shown that overall, an overwhelming majority of Utah residents are satisfied with the health coverage they are receiving. The report, titled "The 2009 Health Plan Consumer Satisfaction Report" was just released last week. There is much to be discussed from the findings.

- Utahns ranked HMO satisfaction higher than the National Average.

We (the residents of Utah) ranked the HMO's offered here higher than across the country because of many reasons. We rated the doctors that are offered in the HMO networks higher and how well they communicated with us. We ranked how fast we received care higher. And most importantly, we ranked their customer service very high. The health insurance companies in Utah that offer HMO type plans are SelectHealth (also known as Intermountain Healthcare (IHC) and Altius. Because the largest health insurance provider in Utah, SelectHealth, also happens to be an HMO provider, it makes that HMO's ranked high. SelectHealth offers a couple different plans. They offer the SelectValue plan and the SelectMed HMO. Because they have the largest doctor and facility network in Utah, they are always a very good option for coverage.

- Utahns receive higher quality care than the National Average for less money.

The survey and report found that in terms of price and care, Utah is ranked high nationally for the high quality of care that we receive but also found that in terms of average premiums that we pay, we are also very well priced.

- Federal reform may actually make our premiums more expensive

According to Kelly Atkinson at the Utah Health Insurance Association, he feels that the current reform being discussed will actually raise the premiums of Utah residents. He feels that because the reform bill only opens up access, but does not address costs, that we will be seeing an increase due to that. He says "And until you address the cost, you can't really drive down the double-digit inflation that exists."

- What can you do to save money on your health insurance and still get the great quality of care they talked about in the survey and report?

Well, you're off to a good start. You are here arming yourself with information. But one very important way is to work with an independent health insurance agent or broker. Because they are not only representing one company, they can give you an unbiased information on which carrier is right for you. They specialize in finding you the right health plan for the right price. And the great thing is they don't cost you one penny extra to use them. So don't hesitate to contact a local independent agent and ask them what is right for you.

Dan Hauser is an independent insurance broker in Utah and runs one the most popular health insurance sites there. You can learn more about the health insurance report and survey at Utah Health Insurance.

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