Financing mental health and substance use disorder care within physical health: a look to the future.
After sharing several case examples of health care for patients who have mental health/substance use disorders (MH/SUDs) in the current health care environment, this article describes the advantages that would occur if assessment and treatment of MH/SUDs became a clinical, administrative, and financial part of physical health with common provider networks, the ability to combine service locations (integrated clinics and inpatient units), similar coding and billing procedures, and a single funding pool. Because transition to such a system is complicated, the article then describes several process changes that would be required for integrated service delivery to take place.
Kathol
Roger G
RG
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 194, Suite 14-106 Phillips-Wangensteen Building, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. roger-kathol@cartesiansolutions.com
Melek
Steve
S
Bair
Byron
B
Sargent
Susan
S
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000639:trends; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D007358:Insurance, Psychiatric / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014481:United States