The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Evaluation Study: Impact on Quantitative Treatment Limits.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) significantly changed regulations governing behavioral health benefits for large, commercially insured employers. Pre-MHPAEA, many plans covered only a specific number of behavioral health treatment days or visits; post-MHPAEA, such quantitative treatment limits (QTLs) were allowed only if they were "at parity" with medical-surgical limits. This study assessed MHPAEA's effect on the prevalence of behavioral health QTLs.

Methods

Analyses used 2008-2013 specialty behavioral health benefit design data for Optum large-group plans, both carve-outs (N=2,257 plan-years, corresponding to 1,527 plans and 40 employers) and carve-ins (N=11,644 plan-years, 3,569 plans, and 340 employers). Descriptive statistics were ca

SUBMITTER: Thalmayer AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5411313 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature