Effect of a Mental Health “Carve-Out” Program on the Continuity of Antipsychotic Therapy

Abstract

On July 1, 1996, as a cost-containment strategy, Tennessee's expanded Medicaid program, TennCare, rapidly shifted the provision of mental health services to a fully capitated, specialty “carve-out” program, TennCare Partners. We studied the effect of this transition on the continuity of antipsychotic therapy among patients with severe mental illness who had previously adhered to treatment.