A new analysis from Deloitte and Meharry Schol of Global Health revealed the staggering cost of mental health inequities on the United States and the financial repercussions if left unaddressed.
The mental health crisis costs the United States more than $477 billion annually and is projected to increase to $14 trillion by 2040 if action isn’t taken, according to a new report from the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute.
The researchers emphasized that the mental health crisis must be treated as an emergency and will require a cross-sector approach to reduce inequities and costs.
“Mental health challenges are often the invisible counterpart to the much more visible chronic diseases that impact so many people in the United States, straining both our social fabric and our economy.,” wrote study co-author Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., founding dean, School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College. “Twenty-five years ago, when Dr. David Satcher released the first surgeon general’s report on mental health, he observed that there can be no health without mental health. It is now clear that there can be no health equity without mental health equity. Diseases of the brain impact our systemic health, which is impacted by the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.”
The analysis used data from Komodo's Healthcare Map, the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) WONDER database, and the CDC's National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to gain a deeper understanding of the economic burden mental health inequities have on the U.S.
Key study findings include:
- The U.S. currently spends about $477.5 billion annually in “avoidable and unnecessary” expenses related to mental health inequities.
- If left unaddressed, researchers estimate the projected costs of mental health inequities will be $14 trillion by 2040.
- If left unaddressed, the U.S. is estimated to spend $1.26 trillion per year by 2040 on costs related to mental health inequities.
- Emergency department utilization related to mental health inequities costs an estimated $5.3 billion annually and is projected to increase to approximately $17.5 billion by 2040 if left unaddressed.
The research team concluded the report urging professionals across industries to make a united effort to improve mental health equity. Their suggestions include:
- Academia can generate research and evidence to advance culturally informed care delivery in clinical training.
- Fields of medicine and public health entities can recruit promising clinicians in mental health and help to establish integrated centers to increase access to care and treatment.
- Employers can provide culturally informed mental health resources to increase workforce diversity.
- Local governance can distribute providers and other resources to areas where they are most needed.
- Government leaders can make decisions and implement policies that directly improve health outcomes.
A new analysis from Deloitte and Meharry Schol of Global Health revealed the staggering cost of mental health inequities on the United States and the financial repercussions if left unaddressed.