TY  - JOUR
AU  - Shinogle,Judith
AU  - Salkever,David
TI  - Firms' Demand for Employment-Based Mental Health Benefits
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 11436
PY  - 2005
Y2  - June 2005
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w11436
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w11436.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Judith Shinogle
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Researc
1000 Hilltop Circle
430 Public Policy
Baltimore, MD 21250
E-Mail: shinogle@umbc.edu

David S. Salkever
UMBC
Department of Public Policy
1000 Hilltop Circle, Public Policy 418
Baltimore, MD  21250
Tel: 410/455-8459
Fax: 410-455-8066
E-Mail: salkever@umbc.edu
M2  - featured in NBER digest on 2005-06-27
AB  - Employment-based health insurance is the main source of health coverage for the non-elderly. Few previous studies have examined the factors that impact employer decision-making in selecting the coverage to offer to their employees and none have examined generosity of mental health coverage.  This paper uses cross-sectional data from a survey of medium to large firms, including information on employee characteristics, to examine the empirical determinants of mental health coverage choices. We find that the firm's demand for mental health coverage is strongly influenced by employee characteristics.  We also find that certain state and local policy interventions directed at enhancing access to mental health care have impacts on coverage decisions.  Specifically, public provision of mental health lowers mental health coverage generosity and parity legislation increases mental health generosity.  Future research with panel data is warranted to examine the causal effects of these policies.
ER  -