Using Oregon’s Medicaid program, this study aims to determine the effects of eliminating behavioral health benefits for certain enrollees on general medical expenditures for those enrollees utilizing certain behavioral health services.  They conclude that eliminating the substance abuse benefit was associated with increased medical expenditures; however, that effect was not observed for mental health services.    

McConnell, K. J., Wallace, N. T., Gallia, C. A., & Smith, J. A. (2008). Effect of eliminating behavioral health benefits for selected Medicaid enrollees. Health Services Research, 43(4):1348-65. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18384360

Authors: K. John McConnell, Neal T. Wallace, Charles A. Gallia, Jeanene A. Smith