Back to School: US Family Health Plan Kickstarts a Productive and Healthy School Year

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The end of summer brings the excitement of the beginning of another school year for children (and parents) across the country. The US Family Health Plan takes pride in keeping its youngest members – the children of military families across the country – healthy so they can have a productive, stimulating and educational school year.

In this spirit, one US Family Health Plan, Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers, produced a list of helpful back-to-school preparation tips. Saint Vincent partnered with Operation Homefront on a series of Back to School Brigade events across Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania to provide more than 2,500 military families with book bags loaded with school supplies.

Parents and students pick through school supplies at Back to School Brigade events
sponsored by US Family Health Plan provider, Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers.
(Click on article to view photo slideshow.)

In addition to having the right supplies for school, it is even more important for children to have the right medical care when they need it. Here are some useful health tips to keep in mind for your children:

  • Eat Right: Give your children a healthy edge with the right nutritional approach, including these dietary recommendations from Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers.
  • Stay Focused: Mental health and proper sleep habits are just as important as a proper diet. US Family Health Plan member Johns Hopkins HealthCare covers these areas and more in its Back-to-School Guide for Parents.
  • Eye Exams: It can be hard for children to learn well if they struggle to see the chalkboard. Ask your primary care physician about scheduling an eye exam for your child.
  • Annual Physical: Whether your children play sports or not, we recommend an annual physical to survey their general health and to ensure they are on track for continued healthy growth and development.
  • Vaccinations: Confirm with your primary care physician that your children’s vaccines are up to date and in alignment with school requirements.

Managing care throughout the school year can be hectic for parents. That’s why all US Family Health Plans are committed to making healthcare as easy as possible for our nation’s military families.

US Family Health Plans Earn Top National Ratings among Private Health Insurance Plans

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Consistently rated one of the best care programs in customer satisfaction, the US Family Health Plan now boasts two of the highest-rated health insurance plans in the country, according to the independent National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

In NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2016–2017, NCQA gave 5 out of 5 ratings to both Martin’s Point US Family Health Plan (ME) and the Johns Hopkins US Family Health Plan – two of the US Family Health Plan’s six regional health plans.

“Our goal is to provide high quality health care to our members and to keep them extremely satisfied,” said Jim Schweiter, US Family Health Plan Alliance CEO. “The latest NCQA ratings prove that the US Family Health Plan program delivers the results our military family and retiree members deserve.”

The NCQA report rates private, Medicare, and Medicaid health insurance plans on a 5-point scale for customer satisfaction, prevention and treatment. It also considers NCQA Accreditation standards scores. Both Martin’s Point and Johns Hopkins are NCQA-accredited and were among just 13 private plans in the country that earned a 5 out of 5 rating, out of the more than 1,000 plans rated in the report. Both plans improved on their 4.5 out of 5 ratings from last year’s Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings.

The Martin’s Point US Family Health Plan, based in Portland, Maine, is the top-rated private plan in the state.

“The NCQA ratings demonstrate the effectiveness of the US Family Health Plan’s model in managing care, achieving better health outcomes and delivering top-rated care to our members. We are proud of this recognition and proud to serve the military community,” said Dr. David Howes, President and CEO of Martin’s Point HealthCare.

The Johns Hopkins US Family Health Plan is one of two private plans based in Maryland that received an overall rating of 5 out of 5.

“We are honored to earn the NCQA’s five of five rating in service to our members. We learn so much from the military families and retirees we serve, and we pledge to continue to deliver the exceptional care that led to the NCQA rating,” said Mary Cooke, vice president of the Johns Hopkins US Family Health Plan.

The US Family Health Plan has been labeled as a model for exemplary patient satisfaction nationwide by the annual Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey, which gave the plan a 91.5 aggregate member satisfaction rating in 2015 – more than 25 points higher on a 100-point scale than the national average for commercial health plans. CAHPS scores are incorporated into the NCQA rating system.

“The health and satisfaction of our members has been our top priority in delivering care to beneficiaries of the Military Health System for more than 30 years, and we look forward to continuing to provide high quality care in the years ahead,” Schweiter said.