Yesterday the latest paper in the Thrive Washington series was released: Containing State Health Care Spending While Improving Outcomes.

This was a timely release, given the vote yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal federal health care reform and the major cuts in health spending that are being contemplated in the Washington legislature.

As I’ve noted, Gov. Gregoire, in her State of the State address, pointed out that health care costs in Washington have doubled over the last decade.  In the new Thrive paper, we offer some ideas about how to stem those cost increases:

• Obtain Medicaid waivers for flexibility.
• Change the cost-sharing structure with state employees.
• Ensure that state employees have the option of an HSA.
• Require school districts to purchase health care as a group (or under PEBB).
• Require health assessments and tighten eligibility if BHP is not eliminated in the budget.