Medical savings accounts: assessing their impact on efficiency, equity, and financial protection in health care

Olivier J. Wouters, Jonathan Cylus, Wei Yang, Sarah Thomson and Martin McKee

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: Medical savings accounts (MSAs) allow enrolees to withdraw money from earmarked funds to pay for health care. The accounts are usually accompanied by out-of-pocket payments and a high-deductible insurance plan. This article reviews the association of MSAs with efficiency, equity, and financial protection. We draw on evidence from four countries where MSAs play a significant role in the financing of health care: China, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States of America. The available evidence suggests that MSA schemes have generally been inefficient and inequitable and have not provided adequate financial protection. The impact of these schemes on long-term health-care costs is unclear. Policymakers and others proposing the expansion of MSAs should make explicit what they seek to achieve given the shortcomings of the accounts.

JEL-codes: J1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-02-17
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea, nep-ias and nep-sea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published in Health Economics, Policy and Law, 17, February, 2016, 11(3), pp. 321-335. ISSN: 1744-1331

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:65448

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