Access to treatment for depression in a Medicaid population

Mentally ill Medicaid recipients represent a population that may be vulnera ble to limited access to adequate treatment for their mental illness. In th is study, depressed Medicaid recipients were compared with those with priva te insurance. Also examined were racial differences among the Medicaid reci pients in the treatment of depression. It was found that in comparison with Medicaid patients, the privately insured patients who are treated with ant idepressants are more likely to receive the newer selective serotonin reupt ake inhibitors (SSRIs) rather than the older tricyclic antidepressants (TCA s). In the Medicaid group, African Americans are more likely to receive TCA s than are white patients. Privately insured patients are more likely to re ceive psychotherapy than are Medicaid patients. There is a higher rate of c ontinuous therapy on initial antidepressants in the privately insured group . Results suggest that depressed Medicaid recipients' access to quality men tal health care is restricted. Also, among depressed Medicaid patients, the re ave racial differences with regard to depression treatment.