Table 1.
Unadjusted descriptive characteristics of continuously enrolled (2007–2012) individuals using mental health services in network and out-of-network before and after implementation of federal parity
| Full sample | Enrollees using only in-network services | Enrollees using some or only out-of-network services | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2012 | All years 2007–2012 | Pre-parity 2007–2009 |
Post-parity 2010–2012 |
p-value (pre vs post) |
All years 2007–2012 | Pre-parity 2007–2009 |
Post-parity 2010–2012 |
P-value (pre vs Post) |
In-network vs OON 2007–2012 |
|
| N | 698,680 | 584,719 | 379,526 | 437,203 | 113,961 | 68,481 | 66,195 | |||
| Female (%) | 62 | 62 | 63 | 63 | 0.019 | 62 | 63 | 62 | 0.004 | 0.289 |
| Age (%) | ||||||||||
| 18–34 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | <0.001 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 0.128 | <0.001 |
| 35–44 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 0.771 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 0.020 | |
| 45–54 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 36 | <0.001 | 36 | 36 | 37 | 0.341 | |
| 55–64 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | <0.001 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0.916 | |
| Region (%) | ||||||||||
| Northeast | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 0.020 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 0.195 | <0.001 |
| Midwest | 26 | 24 | 24 | 25 | <0.001 | 36 | 40 | 32 | <0.001 | |
| South | 37 | 38 | 38 | 37 | <0.001 | 33 | 30 | 34 | <0.001 | |
| West | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | <0.001 | 17 | 15 | 20 | <0.001 | |
| Lives in a designated MSA (%) | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 0.360 | 86 | 86 | 87 | 0.556 | 0.030 |
| Diagnosis (%): | ||||||||||
| Psychosis | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | <0.001 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 3.9 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Bipolar Disorder | 3.7 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.1 | <0.001 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 0.021 | <0.001 |
| Depression or Anxiety | 56.0 | 55.2 | 51.4 | 49.7 | <0.001 | 59.9 | 56.5 | 56.2 | 0.222 | <0.001 |
| Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.4 | <0.001 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 0.060 | <0.001 |
| Other | 6.2 | 6.6 | 5.9 | 5.2 | <0.001 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 0.098 | <0.001 |
| Adjustment disorder | 14.2 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.9 | <0.001 | 14.6 | 17.8 | 13.8 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Residual | 15.4 | 17.1 | 22.1 | 24.6 | <0.001 | 6.9 | 8.7 | 11.2 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
Notes: Age, region and percent living in designated MSA are measured at baseline (2007). We used diagnosis codes to group patients into mutually exclusive hierarchical diagnosis categories. We required patients have the same ICD-9 code listed in the first diagnosis field on at least 2 claims on two dates to have a diagnosis. The diagnostic hierarchy was as follows: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, other (including, for example, other affective disorders, other neurotic disorder, eating disorders), adjustment disorder, and a residual category including patients not included in the above