This Article Reprint (PDF) Submit a response to this article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Archive Download to Citation Manager Reprints & Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (138) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Callahan, J. J. Articles by Cavanaugh, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Callahan, J. J. Articles by Cavanaugh, D. Related Collections Health Reform Medicaid Mental Health/Substance Abuse State/Local Issues

Health Affairs, Vol 14, Issue 3, 173-184
Copyright © 1995 by Project HOPE

DataWatch

Mental health/substance abuse treatment in managed care: the Massachusetts Medicaid experience

Massachusetts was the first state to introduce a statewide specialty mental health managed care plan for its Medicaid program. This study assesses the impact of this program on expenditures, access, and relative quality. Over a one-year period, expenditures were reduced by 22 percent below predicted levels without managed care, without any overall reduction in access or relative quality. Reduced lengths-of-stay, lower prices, and fewer inpatient admissions were the major factors. However, for one population segment--children and adolescents--readmission rates increased slightly, and providers for this group were less satisfied than they were before managed care was adopted. Less costly types of twenty-four-hour care were substituted for inpatient hospital care. This experience supports the usefulness of a managed care program for mental health and substance abuse services, and the applicability of such a program to high-risk populations.

                      What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. J. Carlson, R. M. Gabriel, D. D. Deck, K. E. Laws, and R. D'Ambrosio The Impact of Managed Care on Publicly Funded Outpatient Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment: Service Use and Six-Month Outcomes in Oregon and Washington Med Care Res Rev, June 1, 2005; 62(3): 320 - 338. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. Chang and M. Wilcox Case Study: A Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization Quality Initiative for Behavioral Health American Journal of Medical Quality, March 1, 2005; 20(2): 98 - 103. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. A. Underwood, L. Barretti, T. L. Storms, and N. Safonte-Strumolo A Review of Clinical Characteristics and Residential Treatments for Adolescent Delinquents with Mental Health Disorders: A Promising Residential Program Trauma Violence Abuse, July 1, 2004; 5(3): 199 - 242. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. B. Busch, R. G. Frank, and A. F. Lehman The Effect of a Managed Behavioral Health Carve-Out on Quality of Care for Medicaid Patients Diagnosed as Having Schizophrenia Arch Gen Psychiatry, May 1, 2004; 61(5): 442 - 448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Dickey, S.-L. T. Normand, R. Drake, R. D. Weiss, H. Azeni, and A. Hanson Limiting Inpatient Substance Use Treatment: What are the Consequences? Med Care Res Rev, September 1, 2003; 60(3): 332 - 346. [Abstract] [PDF]