Behavioral Health: Options for Low Income Adults to Receive Treatment in Selected States

Why GAO Did This Study? 

Research has shown that low-income individuals disproportionately experience behavioral health conditions and may have difficulty accessing care. Expansions of Medicaid under PPACA raise questions about states’ capacity to manage the increased demand for treatment. Additional questions arise about treatment options for low-income adults in non-expansion states.

GAO was asked to provide information about access to behavioral health treatment for low-income, uninsured, and Medicaid-enrolled adults. This report examines how many lowincome, uninsured adults may have a behavioral health condition; options for low-income, uninsured adults to receive behavioral health treatment in selected non-expansion states; and how selected Medicaid expansion states provide behavioral health coverage for newly eligible enrollees, and how enrollment in coverage affects treatment availability.

GAO obtained estimates of low-income adults who may have a behavioral health condition from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. GAO also selected four non-expansion and six expansion states based on, among other criteria, geographic region and adult Medicaid enrollment. GAO reviewed documents from all selected states, and interviewed state Medicaid and BHA officials to understand how uninsured and Medicaid-enrolled adults receive behavioral health treatment. The Department of Health and Human Services provided technical comments on a draft of this report, which GAO incorporated as appropriate.