Secure Horizons

We read with interest the article “Study Finds Disparity in HMO Services” (Feb. 6). We applaud the Medicare Advocacy Project in its efforts to help Medicare HMO enrollees distinguish among the many plans available to them. In fact, we willingly assisted the project in its study by providing information about Secure Horizons, PacifiCare of California’s health plan for Medicare recipients.

We feel the need to provide your readers with additional information about Secure Horizons.

Secure Horizons is now California’s largest Medicare HMO, serving some 200,000 members. As reported in the Medicare study itself, of the three largest Medicare HMOs in California, Secure Horizons had the lowest number of complaints reported to the Health Care Financing Administration. Secure Horizons averaged .46 complaints per thousand enrollees for the years 1989-1991 on issues concerning quality of care, enrollment, payment and claims.

Member satisfaction with Secure Horizons is further evidenced by our low disenrollment figures. Since Secure Horizons began operations in 1985, our disenrollment for any given month has never exceeded 1.4% of our total membership.

Secure Horizons is further distinguished from our competitors in the area of quality assurance. In fact, we were the first Medicare HMO in the nation to receive accreditation from the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA).

Deceptive marketing practices constitute another problem area noted in the study. At Secure Horizons, we have implemented training programs that ensure that our marketing representatives fully and accurately describe all aspects of our health care plan, including disenrollment and complaint procedures, and that protect potential members from enrolling without their full consent and understanding.

RICHARD LIPELES

President, PacifiCare

Cypress