The fourth annual edition of the "New York Consumer Guide to Health Insurers," which ranks the state's largest health insurers by the number of upheld complaints they receive, is now available from the New York Department of Insurance.

"When making health care decision for you and your family it is critical to know how health insurers are treating their customers, how they handle complaints and grievances , and the quality of care that they provide," says New York Insurance Superintendent Gregory V. Serio.

Using 2001 data collected from New York health insurers, this year's guide ranks the HMOs by comparing the number of upheld complaints issued against each company with the insurer's total annual premium. (For example, a complaint ratio of 1.0 indicates there was one upheld complaint for every $1 million in premium.)

Ranked the highest is Rochester Area HMO (previously known as Preferred Care) with a 0.005 complaint ratio. This is the third year in a row that the insurer has topped the ranking. Excellus placed second with a 0.009 complaint ratio and MVP Health Plan (0.017) came in third.

The HMOs with the worst complaint ratios are UnitedHealthcare of New York (1.022), CIGNA (0.818), and MDNY (0.803).

The guide also shows rankings for prompt-pay complaints, the reversal of denials using "utilization review" appeals, the reversal of denials using independent external review boards, member ratings, and more. Read the complete guide at the New York Department of Insurance Web site. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the document.