title: Short-term impact of preferred drug list changes on health care use and Medicaid costs: injectable risperidone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed short-term effects of the removal of injectable risperidone long-acting therapy from the Florida Medicaid preferred drug list (PDL) in April 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  A difference-in-difference approach was used to contrast changes (60 days pre and post) in health care utilization and costs of Medicaid recipients who were receiving risperidone long-acting therapy when the policy was changed (N=247) and of a matched sample who received risperidone long-acting therapy in April 2005 (non-PDL, N=247).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The policy change was associated with increased acute care events. Whereas acute care events declined for the non-PDL group, involuntary commitments and total acute care events increased for the PDL group, as did expenditures for crisis-related events. Medicaid pharmacy costs fell for both groups, but total expenditures did not decline significantly for the PDL group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PDL restriction was associated with increased acute care events and did not reduce short-term Medicaid program expenditures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. jrobst@fmhi.usf.edu
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Robst
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Constantine
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boaz
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andel
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teague
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D005569:Formularies as Topic; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011050:Policy Making; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018967:Risperidone