PROMOTING GROUP-PSYCHOTHERAPY IN MANAGED CARE - BASIC ECONOMIC-PRINCIPLES FOR THE CLINICAL PRACTITIONER

Knowledge of the basic economic factors underlying managed mental heal th care directly impacts the clinical practitioners' ability to make c onstructive changes in the system. To aid understanding this article i ntroduces the managed care marketplace model, the interactive relation ship between medical necessity and patient co-payment, and demand mana gement economics. The author encourages practitioners to develop strat egies to overcome specific economic obstacles that prevent the promoti on of group psychotherapy.