Researchers Find Medicaid Expansion Improves Access to Mental Health Services

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 15, 2015) — Results from a collaborative study involving researchers at University of Kentucky College of Public Health and Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health suggest the ongoing Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have the potential to improve health insurance coverage and access to behavioral health care among low-income adults with mental health and substance use disorders.

The research was recently included in the proceedings of the Best of AcademyHealth 2015 Research Meeting and featured in the upcoming issue of Health Services Research.

Led by Hefei Wen, assistant professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy at the UK College of Public Health, the study, titled “Effect of Medicaid Expansions on Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care among Low-Income Adults with Behavioral Health Conditions,” examines Medicaid expansions adopted in 14 states between 2004 and 2012. The findings show that among low-income adults with mental health and substance use disorders, state implementation of Medicaid expansions reduced the rate of insured individuals and perceived unmet need for behavioral health care, and increased outpatient mental health treatment.

“When debating and crafting the ACA expansion policies and programs, policymakers should carefully navigate the balance between the financial and political viability and the comprehensiveness of the expansions,” Wen said. “States should create a supportive environment that can translate expanded Medicaid eligibility into meaningful improvements in access to behavioral health care.”

The complete study is available online by clicking here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu