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Medicaid Behavioral Health Populations: Use, Needs, and Concerns

This staff presentation summarizes an analysis of Medicaid Statistical Information System data on the use of and expenditures for behavioral health services finding that approximately 18 percent of Medicaid enrollees (13 million people) had a behavioral health diagnosis in 2011. Further:

  • about $170 billion was spent on enrollees with a behavioral health diagnosis;
  • spending on enrollees with a behavioral health diagnosis accounted for almost half of total Medicaid expenditures; and
  • total spending per enrollee with a behavioral health diagnosis was four times as high as those without.