| Abstract: | Managed care was intended to save money by eliminating unnecessary services. However, for both physical medicine and mental health care, it is easier to save money by simply cutting needed services. This is what is happening in managed care in the US today. However, data exist for arriving at reasonable procedures to provide real help and still be cost-conscious, a fact that is being ignored by managed care companies. The German national health system covers up to 300 sessions of psychotherapy if needed, but only 3% of their outpatient medical costs are used for such psychotherapy. Unfortunately, the American managed care systems aim at short-term cost savings, even if it means higher costs in the long run (or making patients go outside the managed care health plan for help or forgo getting psychological help at all). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
