Mental health services for children in large, employer-based health plans, 1999.

Full Abstract

This study examines 1999 data from Medstat's MarketScan database of privately insured employees of US firms and their dependents. Of enrolled children and adolescents ages 2-18, 6.6% had claims for mental health services. Average outpatient expenditures per user were $651. Of children/adolescents with claims for mental health services (MH claimants), 3.4% had inpatient MH services, with an average length of stay of 8.9 days and average MH-related inpatient expenditure per user of $7,048. One half of MH claimants who had pharmacy benefit data had claims for psychotropic medications, with average expenditures per user of $328. Whereas children/adolescent mental health users comprised 8.3% of all service users, expenditures for their care were 20.5% of all service expenditures for children/adolescents in private health plans. Results also highlight the importance of including data on psychotropic medication in analysis of children's MH services utilization, as well as the need to consider the use of psychotropic medications among children/adolescents who do not utilize other MH services.

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Author information

Author/s: Larson, Mary Jo (MJ); Miller, Kay (K); Fleming, Kathleen J (KJ); Teich, Judith L (JL);

Affiliation: New England Research Institutes, Watertown, MA 02472, USA. mjlarson(-atsign-)neriscience.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The journal of behavioral health services & research (J Behav Health Serv Res), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jan; vol 34 (issue 1) : pp 56-72

Dates: Created 2007/01/15; Completed 2007/09/06;

PMID: 16708290, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adolescent Health Services - economics; utilization
Child
Child Health Services - economics; utilization
Child, Preschool
Female
Health Benefit Plans, Employee - utilization

Health Care Surveys
Health Expenditures - statistics & numerical data
Humans
Male
Mental Health Services - economics; utilization
Psychotropic Drugs - economics; therapeutic use
United States

Associated Chemicals: Psychotropic Drugs (0)

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