New Mental Health Diseases and Conditions Study Results from Weill Cornell Medicine Described (Medicaid Managed Care Network Adequacy Standards and Mental Health Care Access): Mental Health Diseases and Conditions

2025 FEB 27 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Fresh data on Mental Health Diseases and Conditions are presented in a new report. According to news reporting from New York City, New York, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Medicaid is the largest payer of mental health (MH) services in the US, and more than 80% of its enrollees are covered by Medicaid managed care (MMC). States are required to establish quantitative network adequacy standards (NAS) to regulate MMC plans’ MH care access.”

Funders for this research include Emory University, NIH National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Weill Cornell Medicine, “We examined the association between quantitative NAS and MH care access among Medicaid-enrolled adults and among those with MH conditions. Cross-sectional studywith a difference-indifferences design. Using the 2016-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we included Medicaid enrollees aged 18 to 64 years in 15 states. Subgroup analyses included enrollees with MH conditions who experienced in the past year (1) serious psychological distress, (2) a major depressive episode, and/or (3) suicidal thoughts. Outcomes assessed whether in the past yearthe enrollee had any (1) MH services, (2) inpatient MH stays, (3) outpatient MH visits, (4) MH prescription, and (5) unmet MH care needs. Among 9300 adults aged 18 to 64 years, 27.2% had MH conditions. Among all adults, NAS were marginally associated with increased use of any MH services (adjusted OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.1; P = .055) but were not associated with other outcomes. Among enrollees with MH conditions, no statistically significant association between NAS and MH care access was observed. Current quantitative NAS requirements may have few impacts on improving MH care access for adults and those with MH conditions without the implementation of additional interventions.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “States should consider adjusting enforcement strategies and adopting other interventions alongside NAS.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Medicaid Managed Care Network Adequacy Standards and Mental Health Care Access. American Journal of Managed Care, 2025;31(1). American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Ju-Chen Hu, Weill Cornell Medicine, Dept. of Population Health Sciences, 575 Lexington Ave, 6TH Floor, New York, NY 10022, United States. Additional authors for this research include Janet R. Cummings, Adam S. Wilk and Xu Ji.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2025.89662. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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