Medicaid managed care: issues for enrollees with serious mental illness

To inform state Medicaid programs and managed care organizations, as well as to build their capacity to serve enrollees with complex needs related to serious mental illness (SMI).

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of survey results from a sample of Medicaid enrollees with SMI in Kansas in 2016 and 2017 (N = 189).

Surveys were conducted by telephone or in person at community mental health centers. Analyses of descriptive statistics from closed-item responses and coded transcripts were used to identify major themes in open-item responses.

Respondents reported high rates of comorbid physical and mental health conditions and current or past tobacco use. Most were unemployed, and some were homeless or living in unstable conditions. Participants indicated a need for better information and communication; improved access to prescriptions, dental care, reliable transportation, medical supplies, and equipment; and a wider physician/provider network. They wanted care coordinators to provide more frequent and responsive contact, better information about benefits and resources, and help navigating the system.

Individuals with chronic and complex conditions can be challenging for managed care organizations to support, especially Medicaid enrollees with SMI, who experience high rates of comorbid physical health conditions and complex healthcare needs. To the extent that managed care organizations can help this population navigate their coverage and use more of the available benefits, barriers to care and unmet needs can be reduced or eliminated and outcomes subsequently improved.