Press Releases: 2010

AmeriHealth Mercy Behavioral Health Company Earns NCQA Re-Accreditation

Re-Accreditation Affirms CBHNP’s Commitment to Improving
the Behavioral Health of Its Member

January 6, 2010
Harrisburg, PA – Community Behavioral HealthCare Network of Pennsylvania (CBHNP), a member of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies, recently announced that is has earned Full Accreditation once again from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). NCQA’s Managed Behavioral Healthcare Organization (MBHO) Accreditation evaluates how well a health plan manages all parts of its delivery system -- physicians, hospitals, other providers and administrative services -- in order to continuously improve health care for its members.

“Community Behavioral HealthCare Network of Pennsylvania’s MBHO Accreditation is proof that it’s an organization that works hard to coordinate care, and provide access and good customer support for members,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President, “It’s a sign that CBHNP is focused on improving the behavioral health of its members.”

NCQA reviews include rigorous on-site and off-site evaluations conducted by a team of physicians and managed care experts. A national oversight committee of physicians and behavioral health providers analyzes the team's findings and assigns an accreditation level based on the MBHO's performance compared to NCQA standards.

Anne Morrissey, Chief Operating Officer, AmeriHealth Mercy, said, “We are pleased that CBHNP has been re-accredited from such a highly regarded organization like NCQA. This recognition validates that we are living our mission to deliver quality care to our members.”

There are approximately 60 standards for quality included in the following categories:

• Quality Management and Improvement
• Utilization Management
• Credentialing and Recredentialing
• Members' Rights and Responsibilities
• Preventive Behavioral Health Care Services

About Community Behavioral HealthCare Network of Pennsylvania
CBHNP, a member of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies, is a leading behavioral health service company providing services to insurers and government entities in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Covering nearly 4 million lives, CBHNP specializes in providing innovative solutions for commercial and public entities. CBHNP also does business under the name of PerformCare. For more information, go to www.cbhnp.org.

For more information about NCQA, please visit www.ncqa.org.