Kyle L Grazier1, Daniel Eisenberg1, Jenefer M Jedele1, Mary L Smiley1. 1. The authors are with the Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where Dr. Grazier is also with the Department of Psychiatry (e-mail: kgrazier@umich.edu ).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated utilization of mental health and substance use services among enrollees at a large employee health plan following changes to benefit limits after passage in 2008 of federal mental health parity legislation. METHODS: This study used a pre-post design. Benefits and claims data for 43,855 enrollees in the health plan in 2009 and 2010 were analyzed for utilization and costs after removal of a 30-visit cap on the number of covered mental health visits. RESULTS: There was a large increase in the proportion of health plan enrollees with more than 30 outpatient visits after the cap's removal, an increase of 255% among subscribers and 176% among dependents (p<.001). The number of people near the 30-visit limit for substance use disorders was too few to observe an effect. CONCLUSIONS: Federal mental health parity legislation is likely to increase utilization of mental health services by individuals who had previously met their benefit limit.
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated utilization of mental health and substance use services among enrollees at a large employee health plan following changes to benefit limits after passage in 2008 of federal mental health parity legislation. METHODS: This study used a pre-post design. Benefits and claims data for 43,855 enrollees in the health plan in 2009 and 2010 were analyzed for utilization and costs after removal of a 30-visit cap on the number of covered mental health visits. RESULTS: There was a large increase in the proportion of health plan enrollees with more than 30 outpatient visits after the cap's removal, an increase of 255% among subscribers and 176% among dependents (p<.001). The number of people near the 30-visit limit for substance use disorders was too few to observe an effect. CONCLUSIONS: Federal mental health parity legislation is likely to increase utilization of mental health services by individuals who had previously met their benefit limit.
Authors: Rebecca L Haffajee; Michelle M Mello; Fang Zhang; Alisa B Busch; Alan M Zaslavsky; J Frank Wharam Journal: Med Care Date: 2019-04 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: Jessica M Harwood; Francisca Azocar; Amber Thalmayer; Haiyong Xu; Michael K Ong; Chi-Hong Tseng; Kenneth B Wells; Sarah Friedman; Susan L Ettner Journal: Med Care Date: 2017-02 Impact factor: 2.983