Spending on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Grows Slower

Spending on mental and substance use disorders is likely to grow at a slower pace than all health spending through 2020, according to a study by Truven Health. Spending will fall from 7.4% in to 6.5% in 2020. The study was published in the August journal Health Affairs. A major factor contributing to slower growth is that several major mental health medications are set to expire. Prescription medications accounted for 28% of  mental health spending compared to 11% of all health care spending in 2009. Also, spending for mental health treatment in state-operated psychiatric hospitals has slowed as a result of the recession and a slow economic recovery. “That growth in behavioral health expenditures is projected to slow relative to overall health spending even as recent health reform and parity legislation helps to increase behavioral health coverage and access is good news for consumers and their families,” said Tami Mark, lead author from Truven Health Analytics. For more information, visit http://truvenhealth.com.