Effects of the Vermont Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Law

Table III.2: Access to and Use of Mental Health Services by Members of Two Vermont Health Plans: 1996-1999

Mental Health (MH) Services Before
Parity
After
Parity
Percent
Change
Kaiser/Community Health Plan (Kaiser/CHP)
Number of MH users per 1,000 members per quarter      
   Any MH services 19.28 20.53 6.5**
   Inpatient/residential MH services 0.34 0.21 -38.2**
   Partial MH services 0.08 0.14 75.0
   Outpatient MH services 19.24 20.48 6.4**
Number of MH services per user per quarter      
   Inpatient/residential MH days 10.72 11.23 4.7
   Partial MH days 8.27 5.96 -27.9
   Outpatient MH visits 3.26 3.48 6.5**
Number of MH services per 1,000 members per quarter      
   Inpatient/residential MH days 3.98 2.51 -36.9
   Partial MH days 0.80 1.16 45.0
   Outpatient MH visits 62.62 71.62 14.4**
Percentage of outpatient MH users receiving group therapy 5.0% 4.1% -18.9
   Average number of group therapy visits per user 3.49 4.81 38.1**
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont
Number of MH users per 1,000 members per quarter      
   Any MH services 31.13 33.57 7.8***
   Inpatient/residential MH services 0.23 0.40 73.9**
   Partial MH services # 0.07 --***
   Outpatient MH services 31.09 33.54 7.9***
Number of MH services per user per quarter      
   Inpatient/residential MH days 8.97 7.70 -14.2
   Partial MH days # 7.65 --*
   Outpatient MH visits 5.06 4.73 -6.4**
Number of MH services per 1,000 members per quarter      
   Inpatient/residential MH days 1.99 3.18 59.8*
   Partial MH days # 0.75 --*
   Outpatient MH visits 156.79 159.43 1.7
Percentage of outpatient MH users receiving group therapy 3.4% 3.5% 5.1
   Average number of group therapy visits per user 5.70 5.89 3.3
Source: Original analysis of Kaiser/CHP and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont claims/encounter data by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
# Less than 0.05
* Significantly different from zero at the .10 level, two-tailed test.
** Significantly different from zero at the .05 level, two-tailed test.
*** Significantly different from zero at the .01 level, two-tailed test.

Previous | Table of Contents | Next