Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Understanding The Recent Growth In Medicaid Spending, 2000–2003Article in Health Affairs - "Growth in Medicaid spending averaged 10.2 percent per year between 2000 and 2003, resulting in a one-third increase in program spending. Spending growth was lower from 2002 to 2003 because of slower growth in enrollment and in spending per enrollee, particularly for acute care services, and declines in disproportionate-share hospital (DSH) payments and upper payment limit (UPL) programs. For the entire 2000–2003 period, Medicaid spending increases were largely driven by enrollment growth, much of which was attributable to the economic downturn. Increases in spending per enrollee over the period were faster than inflation but slower than increases in private insurance spending..." The article is also available in Adobe Acrobat format. See also the related press release from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.  
  

Mental health system may see more changes (Texas) Houston Chronicle story - "House Bill 2292 has changed the way mental health services are delivered in Harris County. But it's just the beginning. State Rep. John Davis, R-Houston, has filed a bill that would regionalize state-funded programs for mental health, mental retardation, substance abuse, aging and services for the disabled. Among other things, it would prohibit agencies from both overseeing services and providing them, as the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County now does..."  
  

Fresh path to mental health (New York)Democrat & Chronicle story on "...a pilot project aimed at transforming how community mental health centers, hospitals and day programs serve adults — and it's saving some money at the same time. ... The buzzword at the downtown Rochester offices of Care Coordination is 'person-centered planning.'" The story notes that "several hundred mental health professionals in the six participating counties who have received this training, which emphasizes empowering patients by asking them what they want, rather than telling them what to do. ... Care Coordination also tailors services to each client and monitors their progress. The end goal is to move clients from sheltered day programs to greater independence and to fuller integration into the community."  
  

Mental-health official backs hospital closing (Pennsylvania)Patriot News story - "Pennsylvania's top mental-health official says there's no 'agenda' behind closing Harrisburg State Hospital other than providing better treatment for the mentally ill and improving community-based services. ... But at a public hearing tomorrow, Erney is likely to hear people demand that the state address shortages of community-based services before attempting to place more patients in the community. A recent assessment of the seven counties affected by the closing -- done before the state announced it would close Harrisburg State Hospital -- concluded that the waiting list for housing services is nearly equal to the number of people receiving such services..."