Missouri Medicaid expansion and mental health
The Missouri Dept. of Mental Health has developed information on the impact of expanding Missouri Medicaid to 138% of federal poverty level and mental health services.
The report estimates that 50,000 Missourians with mental illness and substance abuse disorders will have insurance to pay for them and increase availability of outpatient mental health services.
The report also projects that if Missouri does not expand Medicaid to 138% of federal poverty level, that many adult inpatient psychiatric hospitals beds will close throughout the state.
The report looks at the potential impact on Truman Medical Center-Lakewood in the full report.
The Dept. of Mental Health also has produced a simple fact sheet on the policy issues and the implications.
Expansion of Missouri Medicaid requires approval by the Missouri General Assembly.
The federal government would pay the full cost of the expansion during 2014-16 and the federal reimbursement dropping to 90% by 2020.
A copy of the full report is available online.