Capitation financing for the chronic mentally ill: a case management approach.

The method chosen for financing mental health care has profound implications for how that care will be delivered. Fee-for-service methods of reimbursement impede the implementation of certain essential program components. Capitation financing, in contrast, holds the promise of promoting an integrated system of care for chronic mental patients. The authors present data from a case management program that incorporates capitation financing. Discussion focuses on factors that planners need to consider when instituting a capitated financing system.