Abstract
Disruptions in Medicaid adversely affect service use and outcomes among individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI). A retrospective longitudinal study examined Medicaid coverage and service utilization patterns among individuals with SMI (N = 8358) from 2007 to 2010. Only 36% of participants were continuously enrolled in Medicaid and 20% experienced multiple enrollment disruptions. Mental health diagnosis did not predict continuous coverage; however, individuals with schizophrenia were 19% more likely to have multiple coverage disruptions than those with depression (b = − 0.21; p < 0.01). Single and multiple coverage disruptions were associated with decreased rates of outpatient service days utilized (IRR = 0.77 and 0.65, respectively, p < 0.001) and decreased odds of not using acute care services (OR 0.26 and 0.19, respectively, p < 0.001). Future research should explore mechanisms underlying Medicaid stability and develop interventions that facilitate insurance stability and service utilization.
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This project was funded by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The contents of this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official view of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
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Wilson, A.B., Phillips, J., Parisi, A. et al. Patterns in Medicaid Coverage and Service Utilization Among People with Serious Mental Illnesses. Community Ment Health J 58, 729–739 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-021-00878-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-021-00878-7