A ANALYSIS OF WHAT ORGANIZATIONS CAN KEEP COSTS DOWN WHILE MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS; AND HOW ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES CAN ASSIST IN THIS PROCESS

The question as to how to keep costs down is one which has been plaguing the U.S. healthcare system for the past several years. Pressure has been placed on providers to reduce costs, purportedly by reducing inpatient care and increasing outpatient care – according to one source. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, many of the healthcare providers, and HMOs, have complained that it is the insurance companies who are dictating what kind of care the physician should afford a patient. This kind of determination by the larger companies are made virtually on the basis of cost. According to Leslie & Roseheck, annual mental healthcare costs for a healthcare plan can be thought of as having three components: (1) the number of covered individuals receiving care, (2) the cost per day of treatment, and (3) the total number of treatment days per patient per year. Decreases in any one or combination of these factors will result in lower per capita annual cost...