Consumer Reports: Best U.S. health care providers

CINCINNATI - For those of you who have a choice about a health care provider, here's a list that can help you make the best decision possible.

Consumer Reports just released rankings of 984 plans, based on criteria like quality of care and customer satisfaction.

The number one ranked private plan was the non-profit Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's HMO.

When it comes to major private insurers, Kaiser ranked the best and it also did the best in the Medicare category.

The highest ranked health plan from the Tri-State in the private HMO category was Ohio Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, ranked nationally at 90th. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kentucky was ranked 185th nationally.

The highest ranked Tri-State private PPO was Humana Insurance in Ohio, nationally ranked at 212th. Aetna Life Insurance in Ohio followed close by, ranked at 225th. Ohio's United Healthcare was nationally ranked as the 257th best health care plan. Kentucky's United Healthcare got a ranking of 331st. Kentucky's Humana Health Care plans were ranked 350th nationally.

The rankings come from a non-profit called the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

According to them, HMOs, PPOs and private plans all showed improvement in 2012.

Open enrollment for private plans is coming up in October and November and for Medicare recipients, you have from Oct. 15 until Dec. 7.

To read Consumer Reports' full rankings, go to http://www.consumerreports.org/health/insurance/medicare-hmo-1.htm .