Health plans have been at the forefront in providing information on the quality of health care they provide to their members. All New York State HMOs collect data on certain care measures — how many children under the age of two are immunized, how many women receive regular Pap exams or mammograms.  These measures, called HEDIS, which stands for Health plan Employer Data and Information Set, have national standards with which the plan can compare its experience.  Most plans have used this data to develop "report cards" that show how the plan is doing and are usually very eager to share this information with consumers.

In addition to information provided by plans to their members and the public, the New York Department of Insurance and Department of Health produce annual reports consumers can use to evaluate plan performance.  Several independent organizations — the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the New York State Health Accountability Foundation (NYSHAF), to name just two — also provide useful information that can help consumers assess their health care choices.