Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Tracking Health Care Costs: Trends Stabilize But Remain High In 2002
Article in Health Affairs - "Health care spending per privately insured person increased 9.6 percent in 2002, a slight reduction from the 10 percent increase in 2001. This is the first time in five years that the spending trend did not accelerate. Nonetheless, health care spending grew nearly four times faster than the U.S. economy grew in 2002. Growth in hospital spending accounted for the largest portion of the overall increase (51 percent) for the second straight year. Moreover, hospital price inflation—which accelerated significantly in 2002—accounted for a larger share of hospital spending growth in 2002 than in 2001. Premium increases accelerated again in 2003, despite 2002’s slight deceleration of the overall spending trend." The article is also available in Adobe Acrobat format. See also the related Data Bulletin and news bulletin from the Center for Studying Health System Change.  
  

NMHA Lauds Bill to Combat Criminalization of People with Mental Illness
A June 6 NMHA News Release - "In our nation’s prisons, jails and juvenile detention facilities a shocking number of adults and youth with mental health problems are incarcerated because of the lack of treatment options in the community. With an understanding of this problem, Senator Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and Representative Ted Strickland, D-Ohio, introduced legislation today to foster collaboration between criminal and juvenile justice and mental health systems. NMHA welcomes this legislation and applauds the sponsors for beaming a spotlight into the dark corners of America’s prisons, jails and juvenile facilities...."  
  

Speakers put faces on health-care deficit (California)
Story in the Orange County Register - "For three hours Tuesday, county supervisors heard from people like Tim Saba, a self-described "consumer" of county mental-health services. .... Saba was among nearly 40 speakers hoping to prevent cuts to programs that serve them. Supervisors were sympathetic and approved adding $1.9 million requested by the Health Care Agency."  
  

Mental health benefit firm extends TennCare contract (Tennessee)
Story in The Tennesean - "Premier Behavioral Health Systems of Tennessee LLC has extended its contract with the state through the end of the year, providing stability and time while Gov. Phil Bredesen works to overhaul the entire TennCare system."  
  

Budget crunch falls on Clackamas County mental health services (Oregon)
KATU story - "The budget axe is not only falling on schools, it's also hitting everything from roads, to animal control, to mental health services in Clackamas County. Cackamas County leaders said that cuts to its mental health treatment programs would shift those patients into crisis mode and would require county hospitals, and law enforcement to deal with the results."  
  

Mental health peer program loses funding (California)
Story at The Union - "Peer counseling, a way for the mentally ill to help each other through their problems, has been used in Nevada County for several years. The counselors are clients trained by mental health officials to lead discussions with other clients. It's been called a cost-effective way to stave off crises and prevent expensive stays at out-of-county hospitals. ... But about $17,000 earlier set aside for a new drop-in peer counseling center has been cut, and more than two dozen people showed up at Tuesday's county board asking it be restored."