Hockenberry JM, et al. - Via an analysis of 86,216 people from 1998, 2007, and 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys, experts explored national trends in the outpatient treatment of depression from 1998 to 2015, with particular focus on 2007 to 2015. Rates of outpatient treatment of depression progressed from 2.36 to 3.47 per 100 population in 1998 and in 2015, respectively. The proportion of respondents who were treated for depression using psychotherapy reduced from 53.7% to 43.2% in 1998 and in 2007, respectively, and then progressed to 50.4% in 2015, whereas the proportion receiving pharmacotherapy persisted to be even at 81.9%, 82.4%, and 80.8% in 1998, 2007, and in 2015, respectively. Prescription expenditures for these individuals declined from $848 to $603 per year in 1998 and in 2015 whereas the mean number of prescriptions declined from 7.64 to 7.03 in 1998 and in 2015, respectively following adjustments in inflation using 2015 US dollars. National expenditures for outpatient treatment of depression progressed from $12,430,000,000 to $15,554,000,000 in 1997 and in 2007, respectively, and then to $17,404,000,000 in 2015, constant with a slowing growth in national outpatient expenditures for depression. The percentage of this spending that came from self-pay (uninsured) individuals declined from 32% to 29% in 1998 and 2007, respectively, and then to 20% in 2015. This reduction was largely correlated with the rising Medicaid coverage because the percentage of this spending covered was 19%, 15%, and 36%, respectively, in 1998, 2007, and 2015. Hence, current policy alterations that increased insurance coverage for depression may be correlated with the decreased uninsured burden and with modest improvements in the prevalence of and overall spending for outpatient treatment of depression. The lower-than-expected rate of treatment implied that substantial barriers continued to individuals who were receiving treatment for their depression.