Medicare Part A Utilization and Expenditures for Psychiatric Services: 1995

This study provides an overview of Medicare's current coverage and payment policies regarding hospitalization for psychiatric disorders, and presents new information on demographic, diagnostic, utilization, and expenditure characteristics associated with inpatient psychiatric care among 1995 Medicare beneficiaries. Results suggest that utilization and expenditure patterns for Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for psychiatric illness in 1995 differ across demographic (e.g., age, sex, race) and diagnostic categories. The implications of these findings for current management of the Medicare program as well as the evolution of Medicare managed care systems for behavioral health services are discussed.