Objective: This study assessed short-term effects of the removal of injectable risperidone long-acting therapy from the Florida Medicaid preferred drug list (PDL) in April 2006.
Methods: A difference-in-difference approach was used to contrast changes (60 days pre and post) in health care utilization and costs of Medicaid recipients who were receiving risperidone long-acting therapy when the policy was changed (N=247) and of a matched sample who received risperidone long-acting therapy in April 2005 (non-PDL, N=247).
Results: The policy change was associated with increased acute care events. Whereas acute care events declined for the non-PDL group, involuntary commitments and total acute care events increased for the PDL group, as did expenditures for crisis-related events. Medicaid pharmacy costs fell for both groups, but total expenditures did not decline significantly for the PDL group.
Conclusions: The PDL restriction was associated with increased acute care events and did not reduce short-term Medicaid program expenditures.