The Mackinac Center for Public Policy suggests a way to save taxpayer money, and advance a patient-centered approach to health care at the same time: shift state employees to high-deductible health insurance plans coupled with health savings accounts (HSAs.)

The state would come out ahead even if it maxed out the annual contribution to the HSA each year and also paid all of the premium for the insurance policy.

Michael D. LaFaive and James Porterfield estimate that the state could save $16.2 million in the first year alone.