The journal of mental health policy and economics
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J Ment Health Policy Econ · Sep 2012
The effect of the US Medicare Part D coverage gaps on medication use among patients with depression and heart failure.
Medication use among Medicare beneficiaries has increased and adherence has improved since the implementation of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit in 2006. However, the structure of the benefit, particularly, the coverage gap, is still problematic. It is critical to understand how beneficiaries with coexisting conditions respond to the coverage gap and whether their response differs by type of medications. ⋯ Further studies on how people make medication use decisions in the face of changes in benefits and how the coverage affects non-drug medical outcomes are warranted.
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J Ment Health Policy Econ · Sep 2012
Estimating the costs of psychiatric hospital services at a public health facility in Nigeria.
Information on the cost of mental health services in Africa is very limited even though mental health disorders represent a significant public health concern, in terms of health and economic impact. Cost analysis is important for planning and for efficiency in the provision of hospital services. ⋯ The hospital costs were driven by personnel which reflected the mix of inputs that relied most on technical manpower. The unit cost estimates are significantly higher than the upper limit range for low income countries based on the WHO-CHOICE estimates. Findings suggest a scope for improving efficiency of resource use given the high proportion of fixed costs which indicates excess capacity. Adequate research is needed for effective comparisons and valid assessment of efficiency in psychiatric hospital services in Africa. The unit cost estimates will be useful in making projections for total psychiatric hospital package and a basis for determining the cost of specific neuropsychiatric cases.