The survey measured the extent to which employers are familiar with Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Scores; eValue8 data from the National Business Coalition on Health; and Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) data.

• Sixty percent of employers offering health insurance said quality ratings are an important factor when choosing a plan. However, most are unfamiliar with independent sources of quality data.
• Businesses with 50 or more employees are more likely than those with fewer employees to use independent sources.
• Four percent of employers said their organization uses HEDIS, while 65 percent said they are not familiar with this source.
• Four percent said their organization uses CAHPS data; 64 percent said they are not familiar with this source.
• One percent of employers said their organization uses eValue8, and 61 percent said they are not familiar with it.
• Thirty-six percent of employers offering health insurance said their organization uses quality data provided directly by the health plan; 37 percent said they do not use this source; and 25 percent are unfamiliar with such a source.
• Twenty-four percent said their organization uses other sources to evaluate health insurance plan quality, including brokers or consultants (15 percent) references from other businesses (2 percent); employee feedback (2 percent); and their own research (2 percent).

This is the third survey in a series funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to explore issues of quality and value in health care.