Abstract
The US healthcare system is one of the most advanced in the world. Yet it is also the most expensive in the world. And, despite the high levels of expenditure, outcomes remain poorer than in other similarly developed economies. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2022 sparked an increased demand for mental health services, along with a renewed focus on the funding and provision of these services. Unfortunately, this increased demand has exacerbated preexisting access problems, particularly for marginalized populations and underserved regions of the USA. This era of change offers an unprecedented opportunity for psychiatric leadership in all areas, including community settings. However, to be effective as leaders and change agents, psychiatrists serving in both clinical and administrative leadership roles must have a working understanding of healthcare financing. This is because the structure and delivery of healthcare services are often derived directly from the way those services are funded.
This chapter provides an overview of how mental health services are funded. It discusses funding sources, foundational concepts in healthcare financing, and payment mechanisms. This includes alternate payment models that undergird value-based reimbursement. It concludes with a look at models in development for future-state funding of behavioral health services.
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Shoyinka, S., Sowers, W.E., McQuistion, H.L. (2022). Financing of Community Behavioral Health Services. In: Sowers, W.E., McQuistion, H.L., Ranz, J.M., Feldman, J.M., Runnels, P.S. (eds) Textbook of Community Psychiatry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10239-4_56
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