Empire BlueCross BlueShield was awarded the accreditation status of “Excellent” for its HMO Commercial HMO/POS Combined and Medicare HMO products from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

New York-based Empire’s accreditation status – the highest possible level – is based on a voluntary review of how a health plan ensures that its members receive access to high quality care.

Empire BlueCross BlueShield, the largest health insurer in New York based on PPO and HMO membership, is a subsidiary of WellPoint Inc.

NCQA is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to assessing and reporting on the quality of managed care plans, managed behavioral healthcare organizations, preferred provider organizations, new health plans, physician organizations, credentials verification organizations, disease management programs and other health-related programs.

The NCQA Health Plan Accreditation surveys include rigorous on-site and off-site evaluations of more than 60 standards and selected HEDIS measures.