Refusing Medicaid Expansion Cuts Mental Health Services

[Arianrhod]

Now, I realize some of you consider facts to have a "librul bias," and of course Medscape, which we normal folks consider a valid source is, to some of you hysterics a "librul site full of DEMONIC FACTS" (how's that 6,000-year-old Earth working out for ya?), so please don't click on the link. We don't want you to have a coronary and die, particularly since most of you are proving "Obama is not the boss of me!" by refusing to get health insurance but, for the grownups, there's this:

Refusing Medicaid Expansion Cuts Mental Health Services

Oh, posted in its entirety for those who don't have access to the Medscape site:

Refusing Medicaid Expansion Cuts Mental Health Services

Fran Lowry|August 24, 2015

UPDATED August 25, 2015 // Opting out of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act will have dire consequences for the provision of mental health services in those states choosing to do so, a new study concludes.

A cost analysis of states' decisions to opt out of Medicaid shows that these states will receive less revenue and have a reduced capacity to serve people with mental illness, according to the study, published online August 17 in Psychiatric Services.

"On-site behavioral health services are needed in federally qualified health centers," lead author Emily Jones, PhD, from the Department of Health Policy and Management, George Washington University, Washington, DC, told Medscape Medical News.

"However, financial constraints might limit the ability of health centers to provide on-site behavioral health services, particularly in states opting out of Medicaid expansion. Our study indicates that opting out would have indirect impacts on safety net capacity, which would mean less access to mental health and substance use specialist staffing in federally qualified health centers," Dr Jones said.
Dr Emily Jones

She and her group examined how state decisions not to expand Medicaid have affected the utilization of behavioral health services in health centers, a key source of medical and behavioral health services in underserved communities because they serve all patients regardless of ability to pay.

"We examined the link between revenues and behavioral health services, since on-site behavioral health services are not required in health centers; only primary care services are required. This makes mental and behavioral health services vulnerable to cuts if there is not enough funding," Dr Jones said.

Using 2012 Uniform Data System data and the projected health center insurance case mix in 2020, the researchers estimated the amount of additional revenue that could accrue to health centers if all 50 states were to expand Medicaid by 2020.

Using the estimated percentage of total revenues supporting the provision of specialty behavioral treatment services, the researchers also estimated the number of encounters with behavioral health specialists that might be possible in 2020 if all states expand Medicaid by that date.

Their calculations showed that if all 50 states expanded Medicaid by 2020, an estimated 70,500 additional encounters with behavioral health specialty staff could occur in federally qualified health centers across the nation in that year.

Further, health centers would accrue nearly $230 million in additional revenue during 2020 because fewer of their patients would be uninsured. An estimated $11.3 million would likely be used for mental health services, and $1.6 million might be used to provide substance use disorder services.

"These results are important since they illustrate some of the potential indirect impacts of state decisions not to expand Medicaid," Dr Jones said.

"In addition to the direct effects ― most notably, higher uninsurance rates ― state decisions on Medicaid expansion can impact capacity in the safety net. Of course, this study provides a very specific example of potential indirect effects. There are many other indirect effects of state decisions not to expand Medicaid," she said.

Medicaid Expansion Crucial to Mental Health

Medscape Medical News invited Arshya Vahabzadeh, MD, from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, to comment on this article.

"Medicaid expansion is crucial to the mental health of our country," Dr Vahabzadeh, who was not part of the study, said.

"Not expanding Medicaid prevents low-income people from getting mental health care and leads to many hospitals and communities having to deliver uncompensated care or dealing with the fallout of people who can't get care until their mental health has significantly deteriorated," he said.
Dr Arshya Vahabzadeh

"Even people who have insurance will end up paying more to compensate for the effects. More than four million people fall into this coverage gap; the majority of these live in the south, and almost half will be younger people, age 19 to 34," Dr Vahabzadeh said.

"This is an issue that transcends politics. Sixty percent of states have decided to expand Medicaid, including many states with Republican governors or Republican-controlled legislatures. For every $1 a state invests in Medicaid expansion, $13.41 in federal funds will flow into the state, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute," he said.

Meera Sheffrin, MD, from the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, added: "These are very interesting findings that have direct policy implications.
Dr Meera Sheffrin

"Doctors cannot fully care for patients without addressing their mental health needs," she said. "This requires dedicated behavioral health services and dedicated funding, and this study shows Medicaid expansion can be one way to help address this critical need."

Dr Jones, Dr Vahabzadeh, and Dr Sheffrin report no relevant financial relationships.

Psychiatr Serv. Published online August 17, 2015. Abstract

Medscape Medical News © 2015 WebMD, LLC

Cite this article: Refusing Medicaid Expansion Cuts Mental Health Services. Medscape. Aug 24, 2015.

So, basically, those of you whose governors/legislatures have decided that states' rights are more important that people's rights have essentially screwed you. You might want to think about that during the next election cycle.

Unless, of course, "Obama is not the boss of me!" is more important to you than your health or that of your family.

 

[ScienceRocks]

How sad. So I guess we shouldn't give sick people the help they need. More mass shootings and other problems will come from this...Everyone outside of the super rich are ******* to the republican party.

Illogical idiocy is all you right wing idiots have.

 

[HenryBHough]

Do both you useful idiots live in states where Obamacare has not been expended to cover mental illness or just refuse to make use of it?

 

[Arianrhod]

Do both you useful idiots live in states where Obamacare has not been expended to cover mental illness or just refuse to make use of it?

You seem to not understand the nature of this thread. And it's "expanded."

 

[Obiwan]

Why does Obozo hate those poor people so much???

Obama Administration Threatens States Attempting to Defund Planned Parenthood - Breitbart

The Obama administration is threatening states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood–those trying to stop the flow of their Medicaid funds to the abortion provider–with potential violation of federal law and, ultimately, the cutting off of Medicaid funds to those states

 

[Arianrhod]

Why does Obozo hate those poor people so much???

Obama Administration Threatens States Attempting to Defund Planned Parenthood - Breitbart

The Obama administration is threatening states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood–those trying to stop the flow of their Medicaid funds to the abortion provider–with potential violation of federal law and, ultimately, the cutting off of Medicaid funds to those states

Another moron sucking the FAUXnews tit who doesn't understand what Planned Parenthood does.

 

[Obiwan]

Why does Obozo hate those poor people so much???

Obama Administration Threatens States Attempting to Defund Planned Parenthood - Breitbart

The Obama administration is threatening states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood–those trying to stop the flow of their Medicaid funds to the abortion provider–with potential violation of federal law and, ultimately, the cutting off of Medicaid funds to those states

Another moron sucking the FAUXnews tit who doesn't understand what Planned Parenthood does.

So what can women not get at other clinics (other than having their babies chopped up and parted out)?

 

[Arianrhod]

Why does Obozo hate those poor people so much???

Obama Administration Threatens States Attempting to Defund Planned Parenthood - Breitbart

The Obama administration is threatening states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood–those trying to stop the flow of their Medicaid funds to the abortion provider–with potential violation of federal law and, ultimately, the cutting off of Medicaid funds to those states

Another moron sucking the FAUXnews tit who doesn't understand what Planned Parenthood does.

So what can women not get at other clinics (other than having their babies chopped up and parted out)?

Give us some examples. Start with the state you live in. Or just do the usual TightyRighty "NOT MY PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM!!!!!!11!!"

And...go...

We won't even challenge you by pointing out that the topic is MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, not pregnancy.

 

[Obiwan]

Why does Obozo hate those poor people so much???

Obama Administration Threatens States Attempting to Defund Planned Parenthood - Breitbart

The Obama administration is threatening states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood–those trying to stop the flow of their Medicaid funds to the abortion provider–with potential violation of federal law and, ultimately, the cutting off of Medicaid funds to those states

Another moron sucking the FAUXnews tit who doesn't understand what Planned Parenthood does.

So what can women not get at other clinics (other than having their babies chopped up and parted out)?

Give us some examples. Start with the state you live in. Or just do the usual TightyRighty "NOT MY PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM!!!!!!11!!"

And...go...

I asked YOU what services women couldn't get elsewhere. Thanks for admitting you can't list any.

So why does Obozo want to deny poor people medical services and watch while some of them die?

 

[Arianrhod]

I asked YOU what services women couldn't get elsewhere.

In. What. State.

And. What. Does. It. Have. To. Do. With. Mental. Health. Services.

Or were you under the impression that pregnancy is a a mental health issue? In your mother's case, it no doubtedly was.

 

[Obiwan]

I asked YOU what services women couldn't get elsewhere.

In. What. State.

And. What. Does. It. Have. To. Do. With. Mental. Health. Services.

Or were you under the impression that pregnancy is a a mental health issue? In your mother's case, it no doubtedly was.

In the states Obozo threatened to cut Medicaid funding off for, Dumbass...

Why, do you think some states don't deserve to get their tax dollars back where their citizens can get medical treatment??? If not, then the fact that Obozo threatens ANY state with that is a major concern, unless the ACA is just so much bullshit.

 

[Arianrhod]

I asked YOU what services women couldn't get elsewhere.

In. What. State.

And. What. Does. It. Have. To. Do. With. Mental. Health. Services.

Or were you under the impression that pregnancy is a a mental health issue? In your mother's case, it no doubtedly was.

In the states Obozo threatened to cut Medicaid funding off for, Dumbass...

Why, do you think some states don't deserve to get their tax dollars back where their citizens can get medical treatment??? If not, then the fact that Obozo threatens ANY state with that is a major concern, unless the ACA is just so much bullshit.

I guess your state's governor's name is "Obozo." Not familiar with either the state or the governor. Please provide more information.

And, for the third time, this thread is about mental health care. If you're unable to contribute to the topic, you need to start a separate thread.

If you continue to clutter up this thread with your confusion, you are only proving the point that your state can't help those who need mental health care.

Thank you for proving how pathetic some state governments in this country actually are.

 

[Stephanie]

man oh man, the fearmongering is getting desperate and they should seek mental health. I'm sure they can get it for FREE somewhere.

try San Francisco. they can give it while you're getting treated for crabs at a free clinic

 

[Obiwan]

I asked YOU what services women couldn't get elsewhere.

In. What. State.

And. What. Does. It. Have. To. Do. With. Mental. Health. Services.

Or were you under the impression that pregnancy is a a mental health issue? In your mother's case, it no doubtedly was.

In the states Obozo threatened to cut Medicaid funding off for, Dumbass...

Why, do you think some states don't deserve to get their tax dollars back where their citizens can get medical treatment??? If not, then the fact that Obozo threatens ANY state with that is a major concern, unless the ACA is just so much bullshit.

I guess your state's governor's name is "Obozo." Not familiar with either the state or the governor. Please provide more information.

And, for the third time, this thread is about mental health care. If you're unable to contribute to the topic, you need to start a separate thread.

If you continue to clutter up this thread with your confusion, you are only proving the point that your state can't help those who need mental health care.

Thank you for proving how pathetic some state governments in this country actually are.

This thread is about mental health services FUNDED BY MEDICAID, and I offered you proof Obama is threatening to cut off Medicaid funding for some states...

Apparently you can't make the connection, so I have to ask.... Are you one of those mental patients?

 

[Arianrhod]

man oh man, the fearmongering is getting desperate and they should seek mental health. I'm sure they can get it for FREE somewhere.

try San Francisco. they can give it while you're getting treated for crabs at a free clinic

And you know this because -?

 

[koshergrl]

Why does Obozo hate those poor people so much???

Obama Administration Threatens States Attempting to Defund Planned Parenthood - Breitbart

The Obama administration is threatening states attempting to defund Planned Parenthood–those trying to stop the flow of their Medicaid funds to the abortion provider–with potential violation of federal law and, ultimately, the cutting off of Medicaid funds to those states

Another moron sucking the FAUXnews tit who doesn't understand what Planned Parenthood does.

So what can women not get at other clinics (other than having their babies chopped up and parted out)?

Give us some examples. Start with the state you live in. Or just do the usual TightyRighty "NOT MY PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM!!!!!!11!!"

And...go...

I asked YOU what services women couldn't get elsewhere. Thanks for admitting you can't list any.

So why does Obozo want to deny poor people medical services and watch while some of them die?

Because the objective isn't to treat poor people. It's to kill them off.

 

[boedicca]

The OP poses a false dilemma.

If the Feds didn't extract so much tax revenue from state and local areas in the first place, there would be no need for the Feds to hold the mentally ill hostage via Medicaid funding.

Just sayin'.

 

[Arianrhod]

This thread is about mental health services FUNDED BY MEDICAID, and I offered you proof Obama is threatening to cut off Medicaid funding for some states...

No, you offered a Breitbart op-ed.

Got a factual source?

Didn't think so.

That's why you had to play the FAUXnews "Planned Parenthood Abortion" derail.

You're not very good at this, are you?

So, can you address the OP, or are you just a tool?

 

[Obiwan]

This thread is about mental health services FUNDED BY MEDICAID, and I offered you proof Obama is threatening to cut off Medicaid funding for some states...

No, you offered a Breitbart op-ed.

Got a factual source?

Didn't think so.

That's why you had to play the FAUXnews "Planned Parenthood Abortion" derail.

You're not very good at this, are you?

So, can you address the OP, or are you just a tool?

Can you use that Internet thingy Al Gore invented???
Gov. Rick Scott sues feds over healthcare money, Medicaid expansion

 

[Stephanie]

I've figured out. this op just likes to Argue. and He's another Greenbeard when it comes to pushing OsCAMcARE . I think they are both being paid. at least Greenbeard wasn't such an ass