The
Certification Seal of Approval
How certifications are leveraged to demonstrate quality
BY KENYA McCULLUM
When we buy any product or use any service, we want to know that we’re getting our money’s worth and receiving quality – and we will often seek out validation from third parties to get that assurance. In our professional lives, we can demonstrate our own worth, and the quality we bring to our jobs, by earning certifications, which allows us to literally put our skills and expertise to the test. Numerous industries have certifications that help workers
validate their knowledge and skills, while employers are able to boost the competence of their workforce and show the community they provide high-quality service. To give you an idea of how certifications help companies and individuals – and ultimately consumers – inside and outside of the senior living industry, we look at a range of certifications professionals earn.
NCQA Health Plan Accreditation Companies that are looking to get a seal of approval for their health care plans can earn the Health Plan Accreditation provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which is designed to demonstrate a company’s commitment to quality, which is a major concern for not only people who enroll in the plans, but also employers seeking the best options to offer employees. To receive this credential, health care plans are required to demonstrate high standards in multiple areas, including network management, members’ rights and responsibilities, population health management, member connections, and utilization man- agement. Based on the information companies submit, plans are given a score that determines whether or not they can receive the accreditation, which needs to be renewed every three years.
14 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JULY/AUGUST 2022 Coming out on the other side
of this rigorous process success- fully, and with a high rating, is a source of pride for companies. And in some cases, according to NCQA’s Vice President of Public Policy and External Relations Frank Micciche, they are quite vocal about that pride. “Sometimes I’ll be traveling
and there’ll be a billboard for a given health plan and it’ll include NCQA accredited as part of their bona fides,” he said. “When we issue our ratings annually, if someone’s a four- or five-star plan, they like to send out a press release or talk about it in different ways, so it is definitely one way of demonstrating that you’re high quality.” And the public takes notice. particularly employers evaluating
Frank Micciche
health insurance coverage for their workforce. Although on a con- sumer level, the certification may not mean as much since people usually choose whichever plan their organization makes available to them. Yet companies are well aware of what the NCQA Health Plan Accreditation means in terms of the quality being delivered. “A lot of employers use benefits consultants to help them choose
plans, and those consultants are very much familiar with our ratings,” Micciche said. “Being accredited is a starting point of saying ‘We’re high quality,’” and the more sophisticated employers really do dive into that data.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
