Policy makers want to better understand how much states spend on health care overall, how that amount has changed over time, what is driving it higher, and which policy approaches are containing costs while improving health outcomes. The project will feature three lines of research:
- a 50-state study that sets a baseline of state health care costs, cost drivers, and revenue sources over the past 10 years;
- in-depth case studies of key cost drivers; and
- multi-state reports on the effectiveness of efforts to contain health care spending. Pew’s work in the areas of states’ public sector retirement benefits and corrections will complement this research.
RESEARCH from the Project
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June 18, 2012
The Widening Gap Update
The gap between the promises states have made for public employees’ retirement benefits and the money they have set aside to pay these bills was at least $1.38 trillion in fiscal year 2010, according to Pew's latest comprehensive analysis on pension and retiree health care funding. more
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April 25, 2011
The Widening Gap
The gap between the promises states have made for public employees’ retirement benefits and the money set aside to pay for them grew to at least $1.26 trillion in fiscal year 2009—a 26 percent increase in one year—according to a Pew report.
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