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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research

Published in:

01-01-2019 | Original Article

Impacts of the Dependent Care Expansion on the Allocation of Mental Health Care

Authors: Joshua Breslau, Bradley D. Stein, Hao Yu, Rachel M. Burns, Bing Han

Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research | Issue 1/2019

Abstract

We examine the impact of insurance expansion under the Affordable Care Act’s Dependent Care Expansion (DCE) on allocation of mental health care across illness severity, types of care and racial/ethnic groups. Evidence suggests that the increase in mental health care utilization resulting from the DCE was restricted to individuals with clinically significant mental health conditions. There is no evidence suggesting that the increase occurred disproportionately in medication-only treatment or that it increased racial/ethnic disparities. The DCE appears to have been successful in increasing utilization of mental health care among a high need group without lowering quality or increasing disparities.

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Title: Impacts of the Dependent Care Expansion on the Allocation of Mental Health Care
Authors: Joshua Breslau
Bradley D. Stein
Hao Yu
Rachel M. Burns
Bing Han
Publication date: 01-01-2019
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 0894-587X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3289
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-018-0895-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

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Impacts of the Dependent Care Expansion on the Allocation of Mental Health Care

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Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

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