AcademyHealth Stateside - July 2005  (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
 “Moving Beyond Planning” – SCI’s Summer Workshop for State Officials
 New Study Examines the Effects of Potential Federal Coverage Strategies
 Massachusetts Governor Proposes Major Health Care Reform
 Vermont Governor Vetoes Health Care Bill
 GAO Releases Report on Medicaid Financing Practices
 Medicaid Advisory Commission Members Named
 State Health Research and Policy Interest Group Meeting
 State Challenges Highlighted at AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting
 HCFO Program Releases New Brief on Health Savings Accounts
 Reports of Interest

HCFO Program Releases New Brief on Health Savings Accounts

A new brief, Health Savings Accounts as a Tool for Market Change, has been released by the Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) initiative, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program. The brief looks at health savings accounts (HSAs), one component of consumer-directed health care, from the perspective of markets, employers and employees, insurers, and consumers. It also identifies additional questions for research on HSAs, including issues on data collection, consumer behavior, and the effect on providers.

Finally, the brief details ways policymakers and regulators could help “set the stage” for future development and implementation of HSAs.