EFFECTIVENESS, PATIENT MATCHING, AND INSURANCE-COVERAGE FOR DEPRESSION

The effectiveness of treatment for depression is not in doubt, and com mon humanity would indicate that it should be provided to those that n eed it. However, in this paper I argue that the existence of effective treatment should not be regarded as a sufficient condition for the ex tension of insurance cover. This is because insurance coverage cannot guarantee that treatment is delivered effectively, nor that it is give n to the right people; neither does it lend itself to the maximization of cost-effectiveness. Payment systems must take account of these con siderations.