What the Oregon health plan can teach us about managed mental health care

the long version

"Managed care has come to Medicaid mental health programs. In many states, fee-for-service public sector payment systems are being replaced by capitation. This issue of New Directions for Mental Health Services provides a preview of the impact to be expected from such substantial changes. The Oregon Health Plan began as a bold approach to health care reform centered on prioritization of services coupled with an expansion of Medicaid eligibility. Included in the plan is a county-by-county phase-in of capitated Medicaid mental health services. This volume reviews the development of the Oregon Health Plan, the incorporation of the public mental health system into this larger program, and the political environment surrounding this attempt to provide health care for the uninsured. Early lessons described here include qualitative, quantitative, and financial outcomes from this new approach to behavioral health care. Consumer involvement and multicultural issues are addressed, and national experts comment on outcomes from this comprehensive program of reform and its relevance for other states facing similar change."--Jacket.