How Are Mental Health Prescription Drugs Managed Under Medicaid & Medicare?: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report

In 2011, about 14% of the total 71.7 million Medicaid enrollees used a psychotropic medication and in 2012, 28.7% of the 33.7 million Medicare enrollees used an antidepressant or antipsychotic drug. The cost of prescribing psychotropic medications to these individuals was significant. Medicaid spent $8 billion on fee-for-service (FFS) psychotropic medication representing 30% of all Medicaid FFS drug spending. In 2011, psychotherapeutic drugs were the second most expensive Medicare drug class representing 13.3% of drug spending. The cost of prescription drugs, including mental health drugs is continuing to rise. In between 2011 and 2024 . . .