MARQUETTE – The Upper Peninsula Health Plan is again one of the nation’s best Medicaid health plans, according to a recent national ranking of Medicaid health plans.

The health plan ranked 12th among Medicaid managed-care plans in the United States, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Rankings 201415. It ranks third among Michigan health plans.

Honored Medicaid health plans are surveyed and ranked by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The ratings reflect consumer surveys, success in preventing and treating illness, and NCQA accreditation scores. This year, the Upper Peninsula Health Plan received the highest rating possible for patient treatment.

Dennis H. Smith, the health plan’s president and chief executive officer, praised the health plan’s staff, as well as the Upper Peninsula’s medical providers, hospitals, and health departments, for their efforts in achieving success.

The Upper Peninsula Health Plan is a managed-care and provider-service organization that manages medical and pharmacy care for thousands of residents living in all 15 Upper Peninsula counties.

NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health-care quality.