U.S. healthcare consumers want insurance companies to place a value on preventive care and are currently more satisfied with private and nonprofit health plans compared with their publicly-traded counterparts, according to a new survey released by J.D. Powers and Associates.

Researchers at J.D. Powers found the private or nonprofit plans got better marks on doctor and hospital choice and communications with members.  One theme spotted in the poll is that consumers placed a premium on getting early preventive care.   "Consumers are increasingly valuing plans that provide a variety of preventive services and encouragement to use them," David Stefan, executive director of the health care practice at J.D. Power said.  

The poll of about 10,550 customers in large health plans found the insurers most highly rated tended to be private or nonprofit Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.   The top-ranking plans included Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in the Northeastern U.S., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida in the South, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota in the Midwest and Premera Blue Cross in the West.

Toward the bottom of the rankings were publicly-traded companies, such as WellPoint Inc. (WLP.N: Quote, Profile , Research) and Aetna Inc. (AET.N: Quote, Profile , Research)  The online survey was conducted in October and November of 2006 and analyzed satisfaction at 49 large health plans.

About one in three of Americans are covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans, which tend to be nonprofit companies.  A major exception is WellPoint, the largest U.S. health insurer, covering 34 million people. WellPoint is a Blue Cross plan that went public a few years ago. WellPoint's Anthem unit was the worst rated plan in the Midwest region, but its Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri unit was rated in the top half.  "As a company we are delivering more benefits to our members than we ever have before," WellPoint spokesman Jim Kappel said, who added the company is still reviewing the data.

Aetna, in a statement, said it is evaluating the data and that it is committed to customer satisfaction.

The rated companies have the option to license the results and use them in advertising.