Behavioral Health Medicaid Consumers Under-Treated Compared To Commercially Insured

Medicaid beneficiaries were less likely to receive the same treatment services for behavioral health as compared to commercially insured consumers, according to a recent report from Vizient, Inc. For both adult and pediatric populations with the same behavioral health diagnosis, those covered under Medicaid were at least two times more likely than those who are commercially insured to receive only pharmaceuticals and no psychotherapy to manage their condition.

For example, about 66% of commercially insured girls and 50% of Medicaid-insured girls ages 0 to 17 diagnosed with anxiety were treated with psychotherapy, with or without pharmaceuticals. About 14% of . . .