Health Care Alliances: Issues Relating To Geographic Boundaries

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the provisions of major health bills concerning the configuration of health care alliance boundaries, focusing on the: (1) features and procedures for establishing Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA); (2) experiences of two states that have established entities similar to alliances; and (3) potential effects of alliance boundaries on existing health markets, access to health care, and distribution of health care costs within a state.