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No Improvement In Mental Health Treatment Or Patient-Reported Outcomes At Medicare ACOs For Depression And Anxiety Disorders

Authors :
Hockenberry, Jason M.
Wen, Hefei
Druss, Benjamin G.
Loux, Travis
Johnston, Kenton J.
Source :
Health Affairs; November 2023, Vol. 42 Issue: 11 p1478-1487, 10p
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have become Medicare’s dominant care model because policy makers believe that ACOs will improve the quality and efficiency of care for chronic conditions. Depression and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent and undertreated chronic mental health conditions in Medicare. Yet it is unknown whether ACOs influence treatment and outcomes for these conditions. To explore these questions, this longitudinal study used data from the 2016–19 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, linked to validated depression and anxiety symptom instruments, among diagnosed and undiagnosed fee-for-service Medicare patients with these conditions. Among patients not enrolled in ACOs at baseline, those who newly enrolled in ACOs in the following year were 24 percent less likely to have their depression or anxiety treated during the year than patients who remained unenrolled in ACOs, and they saw no relative improvements at twelve months in their depression and anxiety symptoms. Better-designed incentives are needed to motivate Medicare ACOs to improve mental health treatment.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
02782715 and 15445208
Volume :
42
Issue :
11
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Health Affairs
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs64418935
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00345