Managed Care Appears To Be In The Future Of Public Financing Of Behavioral Health Services

OPEN MINDS The Behavioral Health & Social Service Industry Analyst Pro & Con Debate about the impact of managed care on the delivery of mental health and chemical dependency treatment services in privately-financed health benefit plans is widespread. Countless journal articles, conferences, and professional association meetings have been devoted to discussions of utilization review criteria, provider contracting, outcomes research, patient satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. This shouldn’t be unexpected since the acceptance of the managed behavioral health concept has increased in all types of private health plans. By 1988, almost a quarter of self-insured employers with more than . . .