Dealing With the Unintended Consequences of Health Care Policy: State’s Policy on Antipsychotic Medication to Treat Schizophrenia

OPEN MINDS, The Behavioral Health & Social Service Industry Analyst

Cover Story

The law of unintended consequences suggests that the actions of people, and especially of government, always have effects that are unanticipated or "unintended." Economists and other social scientists have consistently examined policies in light of the power of those unintended consequences; politicians and popular opinion have largely ignored it.

Recently, I witnessed the law of unintended consequences in action in Iowa. The Iowa Medicaid plan is proposing preauthorization requirements for newer antipsychotic medications that will, in effect . . .