Use of Collaborative Care grows rapidly; uneven Medicaid coverage drives state gaps

This article was originally published at Use of Collaborative Care grows rapidly; uneven Medicaid coverage drives state gaps

Use of the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model among commercially insured patients increased 26-fold between 2018 and 2024, according to a new report from Shatterproof and the Bowman Family Foundation. National penetration rose from 12 to 317 patients per 100,000 eligible individuals.

The growth is uneven. The top-performing states, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Utah, each reported more than 1,000 Collaborative Care patients per 100,000 eligible people. The lowest, Louisiana, Rhode Island, and Indiana, reported fewer than 50.

The report points to Medicaid reimbursement policy as the main reason. Fourteen states provide little or no Medicaid payment for Collaborative Care services, leaving large gaps in access to integrated mental health care depending on where a person lives.

“CoCM efficiently integrates behavioral health services into primary care,” said Henry Harbin, MD, advisor to the Bowman Family Foundation, describing the model as “a scalable solution to close critical gaps in behavioral health access.”

“CoCM is a proven way to both improve patient outcomes and reduce overall costs for taxpayers,” said Kevin Roy, chief public policy officer at Shatterproof, “which is especially critical given the fiscal crisis states are facing with Medicaid cuts.”

This article was originally published at Use of Collaborative Care grows rapidly; uneven Medicaid coverage drives state gaps