This article provides detailed data on costs and utilization of substance abuse treatment under a private insurance company utilizing managed care.  Average spending was highest for those treated for co-occurring alcohol and drug abuse disorders. 

Greenfield, S. F., Azzone, V., Huskamp, H., Cuffel, B., Croghan, T., Goldman, W., et al. (2004). Treatment for substance use disorders in a privately insured population under managed care: costs and services use. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27(4), 265-75. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2004.07.002.  http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/sat/article/PIIS0740547204000868/abstract

Authors: Shelly F. Greenfield, Vanessa Azzone, Haiden Huskamp, Brian Cuffel, Thomas Croghan, William Goldman, Richard G. Frank.

This article contextualized United States healthcare by examining the healthcare systems in Canada, the United Kiingdom, Australia, China, and India.  The authors compare private and public expenditures as well as trends in employer-sponsored insurance. 

Munn, J. D., & Wozniak, L. (2007). Single-payer health care systems: the roles and responsibilities of the public and private sectors. Benefits Quarterly, 23(3), 7-16. http://www.iscebs.org/BQinfo/bq32007.asp#1

Authors: Jeffery D. Munn, Lynne Wozniak.

In the wake of mental health parity legislation which excluded substance abuse coverage, this study examined the cost of unlimited substance abuse treatment under managed care and concluded that parity for substance abuse is not prohibitively costly under comprehensive managed care. 

Sturm, R., Zhang, W., & Schoenbaum, M. (1999). How expensive are unlimited substance abuse benefits under managed care? Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 26(2), 203-10. DOI: 10.1007/BF02287491. http://www.springerlink.com/content/h675621968536420/

Authors: Roland Sturm, Weiying Zhang, Michael Schoenbaum.

This 1995 paper reviews the behavioral health cost estimates from President Clinton’s proposed healthcare reform with attention to the added complexity of accounting for managed care and covering the uninsured.  The authors present lessons learned and their application to future healthcare policy. 

Frank, R. G., & McGuire, T. G. (1995). Estimating costs of mental health and substance abuse coverage. Health Affairs, 14(3), 102-15. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/3/102 Copyright © 1995 by Project HOPE. 

Authors: Richard G. Frank, Thomas G. McGuire.

This article presents trends and changes in health spending by age with a focus on children, middle aged adults, and the elderly for selected years between 1997 and 2004.  The authors also predict selected effects of the future age-mix on healthcare costs.  

Hartman, M., Catlin, A., Lassman, D., Cylus, J., & Heffler, S. (2008). U.S. Health spending by age, selected years through 2004. Health Affairs, 27(1), w1-w12. 6 Nov. 2007. DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.27.1.w1. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.27.1.w1 © 2008 by Project HOPE. 

Authors: Micah Hartman, Aaron Catlin, David Lassman, Jonathan Cylus, Stephen Heffler.

This study finds that Medicaid managed care in Massachusetts had no effect on the outcomes of substance abuse treatment for adolescents.  These results refute arguments from both managed care’s supporters and detractors about the potential effects of managed care on substance abuse treatment outcomes.   

Harrrow, B. S., Tompkins, C. P., Mitchell, P. D., Smith, K. W., Soldz, S., Kasten, L., et al. (2006). The impact of publicly funded managed care on adolescent substance abuse treatment outcomes. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 32(3), 379-98. DOI: 10.1080/00952990600753677

Authors: Brooke S. Harrow, Christopher P. Tompkins, Paul D. Mitchell, Kevin W. Smith, Stephen Soldz, Linda Kasten, Kathleen Fleming.