Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Reports

The recent Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Report Act requires health insurers to submit information to the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to help measure compliance with federal and state parity laws for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.  Insurers are required to submit reports for two-year periods beginning with 2017 – 2018.  The information in the reports includes: (1) Rates of approvals and denials for inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services, including emergency care and prescription drugs; (2) The number of prior authorization and continuing care medical necessity reviews for mental health and substance use disorder treatment compared to the rates for other medical and surgical services; (3) The rates of appeals and denials for mental health and substance use disorder treatment compared to the rates for other medical and surgical services; (4) the percentage of claims paid for in-network mental health and substance use disorder services compared to the rates for other medical and surgical services;  (5)  The number of staff available to help members with mental health and substance use disorder benefits; (6) The cost-sharing requirements and benefit limitations for mental health and substance use disorder treatment as compared to other medical and surgical services; (7) The number of providers that provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment; and (8) The percentage of providers for mental health and substance use disorder treatment who remained participating providers.

Health insurers completed and submitted their mental health and substance use disorder parity reports to DFS, and DFS has posted these reports in the form in which they were received.  DFS is currently in the process of reviewing these reports.  If you have any questions about the information included in these reports please call us at (800) 342-3736 or send an email to [email protected].

NOTE: The reports available on this page are in Excel format.