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Determinants of health plan membership among patients in routine U.S. psychiatric practice.

This study utilized a large clinical dataset of patients representative of those in routine U.S. psychiatric practice to assess the influence of sociodemographic variables and diagnostic class on health plan membership (public or private). Data on patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders (n=288) and patients with mood or anxiety disorders (n=1304) were obtained from a cross-sectional practice-based survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education. The likelihood of health plan membership was lower among males and among those from a minority race/ethnicity. Health plan membership was also affected by educational attainment and employment status. Even after controlling for these sociodemographic determinants of health plan membership, individuals with schizophrenia/other psychotic disorders were significantly less likely to belong to a health plan than those with mood/anxiety disorders.

Adult↗

Fraud and abuse in psychiatric practice.

A consensus has not yet been reached on definitions of fraud and abuse, particularly the latter. Further, the terms tend to be linked routinely by federal agencies, although abuse is generally understood to relate to inappropriate and fraud to illegal practices. These definitional problems make it difficult to determine what constitutes fraudulent or abusive practice in psychiatry. The authors provide hypothetical examples relevant to psychiatry, noting that in many cases it is still impossible to determine at what point a practice becomes inappropriate or illegal. Criteria must be developed by claims review systems, ethics committees, and PSROs; all those in the mental health field should devote serious attention to these issues.

Crime↗

[The concept of including psychiatry in insurance medicine].

Arguments for restructuring of psychiatric service on the principles of medical insurance are given. Because mental disorders are characterized by chronic development and high disability rate, the necessity of mixed budget-insurance financing of psychiatry is grounded. Obligatory state insurance must be conducted for all mentally ill persons. However, only a certain part of outpatient care and the treatment period in hospital are to be insured, while the remaining part of outpatient visits or hospital stay will be financed from the budget. The method of calculation of the incurred number of the doctor's visits and the length of hospital stay during the year is discussed.

Adult↗

Outpatient psychotherapy in the United States, II: Patterns of utilization.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to characterize the use of psychotherapy based on episode duration. METHOD: Data were analyzed from the household section of the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey. The authors determined the demographic characteristics, provider and reason for visit distribution, mental and physical health status, and expenditures associated with very short-term (one to two sessions), short-term (three to 10 sessions), intermediate-term (11 to 20 sessions), and long-term (> 20 sessions) psychotherapy. RESULTS: Long-term psychotherapy accounted for 15.7% of psychotherapy users and 62.9% of total psychotherapy expenditures. Age above 65 years, black race, and less than 12 years of education decreased the likelihood of receiving long-term psychotherapy. Whereas long-term psychotherapy episodes tended to be provided by the specialty sector (65.7%) for specific mental conditions (53.8%), very short-term episodes were predominantly provided by the general medical sector (72.2%) for general medical or unspecified conditions (68.3%). Psychotropic medication use and, to less extent, psychiatric hospitalization tended to be more common among longer- as opposed to shorter-term users. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term and short-term psychotherapy tend to be provided by different health care professionals for the treatment of different types of health conditions. To help ensure the future of third-party payment for long-term psychotherapy, research is needed to better define the conditions under which long-term psychotherapy achieves benefits that equal or surpass those of other medical services or procedures of similar cost.

Adolescent↗

Mental health service utilization by African Americans and Whites: the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Follow-Up.

OBJECTIVE: To compare mental health service utilization and its associated factors between African Americans and whites in the 1980s and 1990s. DESIGN: Household-based longitudinal study with baseline interviews in 1981 and follow-up interviews from 1993 to 1996. SETTING: The Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Follow-Up. SUBJECTS: Subjects included 1,662 adults (590 African Americans and 1,072 whites). MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE: Use of mental health services, defined as talking to any health professional about emotional or nervous problems or alcohol or drug-related problems within the 6 months preceding each interview. RESULTS: In 1981, crude rates of mental health service use in general medical (GM) settings and specialty mental health settings were similar for African Americans and whites (11.7%). However, after adjustment for predisposing, need, and enabling factors, individuals receiving mental health services were less likely to be African American. Mental health service use increased by 6.5% over follow-up, and African Americans were no longer less likely to report receiving any mental health services in the 1990s. African Americans were more likely than whites to report discussing mental health problems in GM settings without having seen a mental health specialist. They were less likely than whites to report use of specialty mental health services, but this finding was not statistically significant, possibly because of low rates of specialty mental health use by both race groups. Psychiatric distress was the strongest predictor of mental health service use. Attitudes positively associated with use of mental health services were more prevalent among African Americans than whites. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health service use increased in the past decade, with the greatest increase among African Americans in GM settings. Although it is possible that the racial disparity in use of specialty mental health services remains, the GM setting may offer a safety net for some mental health concerns of African Americans.

Adult↗

Current and future directions in reimbursement for psychiatric services.

Psychiatric services are currently facing one of the true crises in a historical development that began in the attics, asylums, and streets. The cause for this crisis in reimbursement is commonly attributed to what many believe is a temporary dip in the economy that has led third-party payers to overreact unnecessarily and unreasonably by limiting benefits and payouts. Such persons believe unwarranted anxieties about the economy and reimbursement for services will lessen with consumer demands, reassurances by health-care providers that the care is quality and cost-effective, and the expected stabilization in a destabilized economy. Others see a much more uncertain and lengthy course of events.

Community Mental Health Services↗

The effects of compensation on psychiatric disability.

Psychiatrically impaired veterans who were receiving 100%, partial or no compensation for their psychiatric disabilities were compared on type and level of psychopathology, self-esteem, locus of control and treatment utilization. All groups were highly elevated on measures on measures of psychopathology. There were no differences between groups on psychopathology measures, except that the 100% group scored significantly higher than the uncompensated group on hostility. Differences in locus of control were not found. On 3 of 10 subscales, partially compensated patients reported higher levels of self-esteem than patients in one or both of the other groups. Uncompensated patients required the most hospitalization. Those who were receiving 100% disability compensation required less hospitalization and the number of days they spent in the hospital was significantly reduced following attainment of full compensation.

Adult↗

Psychiatric reimbursement reform in New York State: lessons in implementing change.

The failure of an innovative and ambitious reform in the psychiatric reimbursement system of New York State is examined for specific lessons of value for other states as they implement new payment strategies to encourage improved treatment of the mentally ill in general hospitals and community settings. The New York payment system was comprehensive, embracing both inpatient and outpatient care, and had significant support in the hospital and professional communities. Still, its impact on hospital performance was small and only partially consistent with its goals. For mental health reimbursement reform to succeed, state administrators must provide more clear, sustained, and forceful signals that take account of the real barriers to implementation; they must also ensure that the financial incentives and rewards are recognized by those who carry out the actions needed to translate goals into reality.

Episode of Care↗

A unique approach to mental health services in an HMO: indemnity benefit and service program.

Three years' experience with a unique combination of an indemnity benefit plus an in-house service program in a prepaid group practice plan's psychiatric department demonstrates enhanced accessibility and increased utilization among formerly unserved segments of the membership plus the flexibility of freedom of choice in choosing service provider and the ability to tailor treatment to patient needs. Overall costs were similar to those reported for other prepaid plans despite the addition of benefits for long-term therapy outside the plan. Flexible use of inpatient and day hospital services enabled the program to migrate, to a large extent, major increases in hospital charges while providing greater continuity of care. This combination of benefits offers the advantages of both an indemnity benefit (Freedom of choice in treatment) and an in-house service program (greater continuity of care, more flexible use of resources, reduction of reliance on hospital care).

Ambulatory Care↗

Psychiatric diagnoses: a continuing controversy.

Psychiatric Medicine has been accused justly of making its diagnoses on the patient's report of symptoms and the physician's subjective observations of the patient. The main problem has been the lack of reliable data compounded by the stigma of a mental diagnosis. More recently, third-party pressures have become an added threat to objectivity. New knowledge of brain function, especially neurotransmitters, and more specific and effective medication have made the need for accurate diagnoses more acute. Psychiatry has responded by frequent and often controversial changes in its diagnostic criteria. Much of the controversy stems from a lack of accurate measurements to validate the diagnoses, thereby allowing for differences of opinion of a highly subjective nature. The problem is complicated by the chronic, but irrational, belief that there is a separation between mental and somatic illness.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Knowledge of mental health benefits and preferences for type of mental health providers among the general public.

OBJECTIVE: The study explored knowledge of mental health benefits and preferences for providers among the general public. METHODS: Analysis was based on a telephone survey of 1,358 adults randomly sampled throughout Michigan in 1997-1998. RESULTS: A large proportion of the respondents were uninformed about their mental health benefits. One-quarter of the sample were unsure if their health plan even included mental health services. Forty-three percent of the sample believed that mental health benefits were equal to benefits provided for general medical services. In answer to a survey question that summarized payment restrictions for psychiatric services and counseling under Medicare, nearly a quarter of older respondents indicated that they would not seek care even when needed. In the overall sample, the majority of respondents said they would initially seek care from their primary care physician for a mental health problem, although responses varied by age. Persons over age 65 were significantly more likely to seek assistance from their primary care doctor than were younger persons. CONCLUSIONS: The general public lacks information about important mental health benefits, and this lack of information may represent a barrier in their seeking care when needed. Given the overriding preference for primary care providers to treat mental health problems, particularly among older adults, mental health issues should be given more attention at all levels of primary care education.

Adult↗

Practice patterns of international and U.S. medical graduate psychiatrists.

OBJECTIVE: The practice patterns of international medical graduate (IMG) and U.S. medical graduate (USMG) psychiatrists were compared. METHOD: Using data from the 1996 National Survey of Psychiatric Practice, the authors compared IMGs and USMGs in terms of demographic characteristics, practice settings, patients' clinical characteristics, and sources of reimbursement. RESULTS: The IMGs surveyed tended to be older than USMGs, included a higher proportion of women, and were more racially heterogeneous. They worked longer hours, worked more frequently in the public sector, and treated a higher proportion of patients with psychotic disorders. The IMGs also received a higher percentage of their income than USMGs from Medicaid and Medicare, whereas the reverse was true of self-payment. Most of these differences remained significant after psychiatrist's age, gender, race, board certification, and work setting were controlled for. CONCLUSIONS: IMG and USMG psychiatrists have different practice patterns. Policies that substantially decrease the number of IMG psychiatrists may adversely affect the availability of psychiatrists to treat minorities and other underserved populations.

Adult↗

The impact of health care reform on social phobia.

According to the National Comorbidity Survey, social phobia is the third most frequent psychiatric disorder in the United States. Its lifetime prevalence rate of 13.3% ranks behind only major depressive episode (17.1%) and alcohol dependence (14.1%). As was the case with depression 15 years ago, social phobia has often been trivialized and stigmatized. For example, some with social phobia may be dismissed as having mere "stage fright" or excessive shyness, while, in fact, social phobia is a serious mental illness associated with substantial psychosocial distress, comorbidity, and morbidity. Typical onset of social phobia is in the midteens and often continues throughout an individual's lifetime, leading to severe social and occupational impairment. Several excellent, efficacious treatments are available. Access to these treatments for social phobia may be more difficult in the future due to managed care initiatives and health care reform. Various proposals are now being considered as a part of health care reform that may have significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of social phobia.

Adolescent↗

Directions in contracting for psychiatric services managed care firms.

An "irresistible force" has surely emerged in American healthcare; its name is Managed Care. It's a force embarked on an economic holy war, fired by the passions and anxieties of a competitive market economy that now seems uncommitted to spending more on health services. Its army is made up of an ununited confederation of utilization review organizations, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), exclusive provider organizations (EPOs), and a number of other entities that have been enlisted to restrain++ the medical-industrial complex. In their march across America, they have frequently assailed the shibboleths and established structures of treatment systems, especially psychiatry and often fought with one another. While some are mercenary forces, others appear as peoples' armies, committed to preserving and strengthening the healthcare system they are transforming. As it encounters the inhabitants of this domain, Managed Care becomes both their master and their slave. As with any occupying force, it must win their hearts and minds over to the new way of doing things. The winning-over process is not going well now. Many patients and providers are angry at the inefficiencies, unproven effectiveness, administrative burdens, affronts to traditions, and threats to quality sometimes posed by Managed Care. This collective unrest has resulted in both a mounting resistance to the problems emanating from managed care changes in the healthcare system and a call to check its unrestrained incursions into professional practice through regulation. The growing tension between what seems an irresistible force and an immovable object can be viewed as part of the natural evolution of all change, particularly in a free market or in a society with requisite checks and balances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Contract Services↗

Support services for pediatric trainees. A survey of training program directors.

We conducted a survey of pediatric training program directors (75% response rate) regarding program support services for house staff, directors' attitudes about stress in training, and program plans to ameliorate such stress. Support services included explicit measures to alleviate stress, policies that may minimize stress, evaluation of house staff performance, feedback regarding career concerns, and benefits (eg, medical insurance and child care). Most programs offered services to reduce stress from training, but few offered preventive services. Support policies were reported to be inadequate, especially in the areas of coverage for leaves of absence. Maternity leave represented most leaves of absences, as 10% of the female house staff and 11% of the male house staff members became parents. Program directors' terms were short, and only 30% perceived these roles to be their primary roles. Male directors believed that female house officers had a harder time adjusting to their programs. We suggest changes and present a simple way for program directors to evaluate their support services.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Intensive psychotherapy of a borderline patient.

A detailed case report of the long-term intensive psychotherapy of a borderline patient illustrates my approach to such patients. It also raises questions about the value of interpretations in the early phases of therapy of such patients, regardless of which conflicting theories are chosen as the basis of these interpretations. Stress is placed on the value of empathic attunement to the patient, staying with the patient through the many vicissitudes of long-term treatment, and the developmental use the patient made of a long treatment, reliving certain phases of development in the transference. Acquisition of internalized controls may need to occur in this way before the patient is ready to utilize interpretations. Also illustrated are the difficulties in convincing insurance companies and other third parties to support long-term psychotherapy and the effects of such intensive interaction over the years on the psychotherapist.

Adult↗

The economic costs of schizophrenia. Implications for public policy.

The direct and indirect costs associated with schizophrenia in Australia were calculated using the incidence approach and compared with similar costings of myocardial infarction in Australia and the United States. In Australia schizophrenia affects one-twelfth as many people as does myocardial infarction, yet costs half as much. This is because the stream of costs associated with each case of schizophrenia is six times the stream of costs associated with myocardial infarction. To illustrate the utility of this costing approach, the information was used to estimate the cost-benefit ratio likely to follow the introduction of social intervention strategies. The information also showed that Australian support for research in schizophrenia is inadequate when compared with that for myocardial infarction and quite out of proportion to the cost of schizophrenia to the community.

Adolescent↗