The economic impact of untreated maternal mental health conditions in Texas

Background Maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs), which include depression and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and through five years postpartum, are among the most common obstetric complications in the United States overall and in Texas in particular. In the context of potential expansion of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC pregnancy and childbirth 2022-09, Vol.22 (1), p.1-700, Article 700
Main Authors: Margiotta, Caroline, Gao, Jessica, O’Neil, So, Vohra, Divya, Zivin, Kara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cesarean section
Children & youth
Childrens health
Cost estimates
Cost-of-illness
Economic impact
Food stamps
Health care payers
Literature reviews
Maternal & child health
Maternal mental health conditions
Medicaid
Mental disorders
Mental health
Obstetrics
Pregnancy
Productivity
Texas
Womens health
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Summary:Background Maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs), which include depression and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and through five years postpartum, are among the most common obstetric complications in the United States overall and in Texas in particular. In the context of potential expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year, we sought to capture the societal, financial burden of untreated MMHCs. Methods We estimated the economic impact of untreated maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs) among births in Texas in 2019 using a cost-of-illness model. Results We found that MMHCs affected 13.2% of mothers and, when left untreated, cost $2.2 billion among mothers and children born in Texas in 2019 when following the birth cohort from conception through five years postpartum. We found that MMHCs affected 17.2% of mothers enrolled in Texas’ Medicaid for Pregnant Women and cost $962 million. In addition, the prevalence of MMHCs and resulting costs varied considerably among women of different races and ethnicities. Employers and health care payers, including Medicaid, bore most of these costs. Conclusions The Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) efforts to increase awareness about MMHCs and increase access to care represent an important step toward improving maternal and child health and maximizing benefits to Texas HHSC, employers, and insurers.
ISSN:1471-2393
1471-2393
DOI:10.1186/s12884-022-05001-6