What Drives Medicaid Behavioral Health Readmission Rates?

Last week, we looked at Medicaid readmissions for behavioral health conditions compared to other payers (Medicare, privately insured, and the uninsured) (see How Do Medicaid Readmission Rates Compare To Other Payers?). Although Medicare readmission rates for behavioral health conditions – a combination of readmissions falling within the two major diagnostic categories (MDCs) of mental diseases and disorders and alcohol/drug use disorders — exceed Medicaid readmission rates (20.9% compared to 19.7% for 2011), a count of the actual number of readmissions by condition shows that no behavioral health condition even makes Medicare’s “top 10” list for readmissions, but four . . .