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Harvard-Based Center Explores Behavioral Health and Managed Care
Establishment of a managed care industry research center
From 1996 to 1999, staff at Harvard Medical School established the Managed Care Industry Center (MCIC) at Harvard University. Sponsored primarily by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the center works to engage leaders of the managed care industry in developing a research agenda that addresses questions of common interest.
Key Results
Initial accomplishments of staff at the Managed Care Industry Center include:
- Conducting two studies on the effects of contracting arrangements that "carve-out" coverage for mental health and substance abuse from a primary insurance plan.
- Publishing three papers on managed behavioral health care and parity in coverage for mental and physical illnesses.
- Creating a consortium of 10 employers and a managed behavioral health company to foster new research opportunities in managed behavioral health care.
- Hosting a national conference to encourage dialogue between industry leaders, academic researchers and policy-makers; entitled "Managed Care Enters the 21st Century," the conference was held in Boston in January 1999 and drew 120 people.
Funding
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported this project through a grant of $199,890.