Privately insured adults under age 65 give consistently high ratings to their own health plans, with majorities giving their plans a grade of A or B (67% in August 2004). However, health plan ratings differ according to how restrictive the plan is. Seven in ten adults in “loose” managed care plans give their plans a grade of B or higher, compared with fewer than six in ten (57%) among those in “strict” managed care plans (1).

1 Respondents were divided into “strict” and “loose” managed care based on their responses to questions about whether their health plan requires them to do any of the following:

a. Choose a doctor from a list

b. Sign up with a primary care doctor for routine health care

c. Get approval before visiting a doctor not in the plan

d. Get a referral from a primary care doctor before seeing a specialist