OPM Releases Highlights of 2019 FEHB Plan Performance Assessment

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The Office of Personnel Management issued the following news release:

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released its annual Plan Performance Assessment (PPA) report on the overall performance of health insurance carriers in the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The PPA measures FEHB Carriers on Clinical Quality, Customer Service and Resource Use (i.e., QCR Measures).

The assessment shows that FEHB Carriers continue to improve performance collectively, resulting in improved average QCR scores, promoting better health outcomes for Federal employees, retirees, and their families. Program-wide averages on all of OPM's high priority health initiatives show improvement.

A significant number of FEHB carriers demonstrated improvement across a number of QCR measures showing that efforts to improve care and customer service are producing positive results.

QUOTES

"We want Federal employees to have the necessary information about a carrier when they are selecting a health plan that is right for their family. The PPA provides those detailed metrics for the customer and keeps FEHB carriers accountable. We are pleased to make the results available to all FEHB subscribers to help them make choices that meet their health needs." - OPM Director Dale Cabaniss

BACKGROUND

The PPA is comprised of four performance areas; Clinical Quality, Customer Service, Resource Use, and Contract Oversight, and is designed to tie FEHB Carrier performance on these areas to Carrier profit. Approximately one percent of the overall FEHB premium payable to the Carriers is at-risk based on the Carriers' respective performance.

The PPA is intended to ensure that Federal employees, retirees, and their dependents have objective information when choosing their FEHB Carrier and health insurance. OPM is committed to providing quality health options in order to enhance the quality of life for Federal employees, retirees, and their families.

The FEHB Program has a successful track record of providing high quality coverage at an affordable cost. Federal employees regularly cite health benefits as a key factor in the decision to join or remain in the Federal workforce.

FAST FACTS

* The FEHB was created in 1960.

* The FEHB is the nation's largest employer-sponsored health insurance program.

* The FEHB provides health insurance coverage to 8.2 million Federal employees, retirees, and their families.

* OPM has been utilizing the PPA to emphasize the use of common, objective criteria for the evaluation of FEHB Carriers since 2016.

RELEVANT LINKS

* (Website) PPA Highlights of 2019 QCR Measures (https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/2019-fehb-plan-performance-summary.pdf)

* (Website) FEHB Plan Performance Assessment (https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/carriers/#url=Performance-Assessment)

* (Website) FEHB Compare 2020 Plans (https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/compare-plans/)

* (Website) FEHB Compare Quality (https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/compare-plans/quality)

* (Website) OPM Healthcare and Insurance (https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/)