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Cited by 35Healthcare Policy and ManagementMental Health Treatment and AccessHealth, Medicine and Society

Changes in health insurance coverage and barriers to health care access among individuals with serious psychological distress following the Affordable Care Act

Open access
Novak, Priscilla, Anderson, Andrew C., Chen, Jie·2018·Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
DOI 10.1007/s10488-018-0875-9PMC PMC6477535
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Abstract

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to expand health insurance coverage and minimize financial barriers to receiving health care services for individuals. However, little is known about how the ACA has impacted individuals with mental health conditions. This study finds that the implementation of the ACA is associated with an increase in rate of health insurance coverage among nonelderly adults with serious psychological distress (SPD) and a reduction in delaying and forgoing necessary care. The ACA also reduced the odds of an individual with SPD not being able to afford mental health care. Mental health care access among racial and ethnic minority populations and people with low income has improved during 2014-2016, but gaps remain.

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  • The ACA appears to have improved coverage for SUD and psychiatry care.

    “Evidence suggests a positive impact of the ACA on both SUD and psychiatry coverage (Cowell, Prakash, Jones, Barnosky, & Wedehase, 2018; Novak, Anderson, & Chen, 2018; Shover, Abraham, D’Aunno, Friedmann, & Humphreys, 2019), including an increase in insurance choices (Abraham et al., 2017; Andrews et al., 2018; Feder et al., 2017).”

    From Healthcare utilization of individuals with substance use disorders following Affordable Care Act implementation in a California healthcare system (2020) · cites this paper as Novak, Anderson, & Chen, 2018

    The Discussion reports that adults with serious psychological distress were more likely to have health insurance after 2014 and faced fewer barriers to mental health care. It does not establish improved coverage specifically for substance use disorder treatment or psychiatry services; its finding concerns overall insurance coverage in a mental-health population. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Cites

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Sorted by citations

Authors
Novak, P., Anderson, A. C., & Chen, J.
Affiliations
University of Maryland, College Park (US)
Corresponding author
Novak, Priscilla
ORCID
Venue
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-05-12
Volume
45
Issue
6
Pages
924-932
ISSN
  • 0894-587X (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3289
DOI
10.1007/s10488-018-0875-9
PMC
PMC6477535
OpenAlex
W2801752856
Cited by
35
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 1
FWCI
3.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MD011523)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Healthcare Policy and Management
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health, Medicine and Society
Keywords
Affordable Care Act, health insurance coverage, serious psychological distress, access to mental health care, barriers to care, racial and ethnic minorities, low-income adults, non-elderly adults, health policy
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Insurance, Health, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, United States, Insurance Coverage, Young Adult, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

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