Monday, February 14, 2005

Mental health story needs clarification (Maine)Letter to the editor of the Morning Sentinel by a professor and senior research associate Institute for Health Policy Muskie School of Public Service University of Southern Maine - "I am responding to the article "Study shines light on mental health costs" (Jan. 25) to clarify some points it made. My co-authors, David Lambert and Stuart Bratesman, and I found that, from 1996 to 2002, for all MaineCare members, spending on behavioral health care services increased much more rapidly -- 163 percent -- than spending on medical services, which rose 112 percent, or spending on long-term care such as nursing home or home health care, which rose 6 percent. ... The greater cost increase for behavioral compared to medical or long-term care services was a result of more members diagnosed with behavioral conditions and more spent per month on their services. Many changes contribute to this, including greater awareness of mental- health problems, expanded programs for children with behavioral conditions, access to more effective treatments and medications, and a shift by the state of coverage onto Medicaid to increase access to federal funds. These increases are dramatic and warrant careful consideration..."