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Eigen bijdrage in de GGZ stoot niet de mensen met lichtere problematiek maar de minder draagkrachtigen af.

Verhaak, P.F.M., Koopmans, B., Ngo, D., Faber, E. Eigen bijdrage in de GGZ stoot niet de mensen met lichtere problematiek maar de minder draagkrachtigen af. TSG: Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidswetenschappen: 2013, 91(5), p. 270-275.
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Own contribution in costs for mental health care will not exclude clients with minor mental problems but leads to a decrease of clients with the lowest income. In 2011 an own contribution in costs for specialized mental health care was considered by health authorities. This was meant to exclude clients with minor mental problems from specialized mental health care. The branch organization of mental health care in the Netherlands (Dutch Association of Mental Health and Addiction Care) has held an online survey among clients in specialized care in November 2011. With this survey the Association intended to estimate intentions to lower the use of specialized mental health care. Results are based on 4996 completed surveys. 70% of the respondents reported an intention to lower their use of care facilities as a result of the own contribution in costs. The intention to abstain from future care was directly related to the income situation. Perceived seriousness of illness and perceived necessity of care was not related to the intention of care decrease. The largest expected decrease in care was found in youth mental health care and addiction care. We conclude that the measure (that has not been effectuated) would not have led to a decrease of clients with the least serious mental health problems but to a decrease of clients with the lowest income, whatever their problems are. (aut.ref.)