Feds Look At HMO Complaint Systems.

National Underwriter Life & Health-Financial Services Edition, September, 1998 by BELL, ALLISON

The results of a new U.S. General Accounting Office study suggest that managed care may be a good influence on health plan complaint systems.

The congressional agency developed a list of nine important complaint system features, then asked 38 health maintenance organizations and 10 indemnity plans about the design of their own complaint systems.

HMO complaint systems resembled indemnity complaint systems, but HMOs offered more of the important features, according to Bernice Steinhardt, the GAO health services quality director.

At seven of the companies that sold both HMO and indemnity coverage, the indemnity plan usually offered a complaint system similar to the system offered by its sister HMO, Ms. Steinhardt reported.

"At the...

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