The journal of mental health policy and economics
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J Ment Health Policy Econ · Dec 2010
The effect of employee assistance plan benefits on the use of outpatient behavioral health care.
Nearly half of all US workers have access to an employee assistance plan (EAP). At the same time, most large US employers also purchase health benefits for their employees, and these benefits packages typically include behavioral health services. There is some potential overlap in services covered by the EAP and the health plan, and some employers choose to purchase the two jointly as an 'integrated product'. It is not clear whether EAP services substitute for outpatient behavioral health care services covered by the health plan. ⋯ Future studies should see whether these results are reproduced, ideally by looking at employer plans with a wider range of EAP visit allowances.