NCSL Health Sessions at the Spring Forum, April 7, 2006, Washington, D.C. Funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Critical Health Areas Project (CHAP).
Consumer Driven Health Insurance: New State Solutions in 2006?
From corporate boardrooms to the President's State of the Union, the idea of health savings accounts has attracted attention, support and nagging concerns. In 2005 at least 26 states enacted laws directly affecting health savings accounts and their associated high-deductible health insurance plans. At least three states hope to integrate "CDHPs" into Medicaid via legislation and federal waivers. These market-based tools are aimed at lowering premium costs and requiring increased consumer responsibility. Yet the "bare bones" policies often associated with such plans may leave a family with hefty charges for routine or not-so-routine medical services. This "mini-summit" 2 hour session examined facts, opinions and some unknowns.
Speakers:
Paul Fronstin [PowerPoint download  / slides] Ph.D., Director, HRET, Employee Benefit Research Institute
Tracy Cassidy Watts [PowerPoint download / slides], Principal, Healthcare and Group Benefits, Mercer Co.
Simmi Singh [PowerPoint download / slides], VP, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Chicago, IL
Medicare Part D: Latest State Updates
As part of their ongoing efforts to help Medicare beneficiaries understand Part D, states often are reshaping or creating State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs to provide additional wrap-around support for Part D enrollees. States are looking at Part D's impact on Medicaid prescription drug programs, including preferred drug lists and rebates. Learn about current state legislative activity on prescription drugs related to Part D and hear from the federal government about key implementation issues affecting states.
Speakers:
Joseph Fine and Cora Tracy, [PowerPoint download / slides] - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Baltimore, MD.
Richard Cauchi and Donna Folkemer, [PowerPoint download / slides] -Directors, NCSL staff, Denver and Washington, DC.
 CHAP Meetings
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