The term MSA can refer to different things depending on the context. Here are some possible meanings:

• Master Service Agreement: A master service agreement is a contract between two or more parties that establishes what terms and conditions will govern all current and future activities and responsibilities. MSAs are useful because they allow the parties to plan for the future while also speeding up the ratification of future agreements. They create a contract framework that establishes the foundation for all future actions.

• Medical Savings Account: A Medical Savings Account (MSA) is a type of Medicare Advantage plan that combines a high-deductible health plan with a medical savings account. Enrollees of Medicare MSA plans can initially use their savings account to help pay for health care, and then will have coverage through a high-deductible insurance plan once they reach their deductible. Medicare MSA plans provide Medicare beneficiaries with more control over health care utilization, while still providing coverage against catastrophic health care expenses.

• Metropolitan Statistical Area: A Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is a formal definition of a region that consists of a city and surrounding communities that are linked by social and economic factors. MSAs are delineated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as having at least one urbanized area with a minimum population of 50,000. MSAs serve to group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data.

It is important to understand the context in which the term MSA is being used to determine its meaning.