IL Mental Health Parity Index Shows Real-Time Gaps in Mental Health Care

The new tool can be expanded nationwide to strengthen transparency, access to care

/EIN News/ -- Chicago, IL, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Numerous counties in Illinois face limited in-network access to mental health and substance use disorder providers, among other key issues highlighted through The Mental Health Parity Index, a new interactive tool visualizing commercial insurer data.

The Mental Health Parity Index was unveiled today by The Kennedy Forum, alongside strategic partners Third Horizon and the American Medical Association. The Index sheds light on key metrics related to mental health/substance use disorder (MH/SUD) care, including in-network providers and reimbursement rates for providers. The Mental Health Parity Index is being piloted in IL with a planned expansion nationwide.

Key Findings of the Mental Health Parity Index in IL:

• Across all health plans statewide, fewer mental health providers are contracted relative to physical health providers. On average, the relative difference of the available pool of in-network mental health providers is smaller (55% less) than that of physical health providers available statewide. The relative percent differences range from 7.5% to 153% across health plans analyzed in Illinois.
• For all outpatient professional services, physical health services are reimbursed at higher rates than mental health services. On average, mental health services are reimbursed 27% lower than physical health. The percent differences range from 3% to 56% across the health plans analyzed in Illinois.
• Hospitals receive almost twice as much per day for a physical health admission as they do for a mental health admission. The percent differences range from 60% to 103% differential in payment rate per day across plans in the state. 

This data underscores the challenges that individuals and health care providers face on a regular basis. Federal parity laws ensured that insurance could not limit mental health care coverage more strictly than physical health coverage, yet Americans are more than 10 times more likely to go out of network for mental health care than physical health care. Approximately 58% of Illinoisans are covered by commercial insurers and at least a quarter of residents in the state report symptoms of mental health conditions.

“Tens of millions of Americans seek mental health treatment each year,” said Patrick J. Kennedy, The Kennedy Forum co-founder and co-author of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008. “Mental health parity helps ensure that people can access services they need like they would any other medical condition. We will now need to not only monitor mental health and addiction equity in the system, but also how mental health gets integrated into overall health care. This tool offers an unprecedented view, showing where we are succeeding and falling short in ensuring that mental health is essential health.”

The open-source Mental Health Parity Index draws on data that was recently made available through the Health Plan Transparency rules, and allows users to isolate and compare counties. Showing how data relates to parity can help insurers, employers, providers, consumers, and policymakers better understand where access problems are greatest and take action to address them.

“A key driver of unnecessary spending in the health care system ties directly to the historic disparity of insurance networks for mental health and substance use disorders when contrasted with physical health services,” said Greg Williams, President of Third Horizon and a person in long-term recovery from addiction. “This tool, for the first time, has the power to illuminate specific geographies where an individual health plan can enhance their in-network coverage by providing clear metrics on how to take that cost and life-saving action.”

The Mental Health Parity Index is the product of an 18-month collaboration among strategic partners, and the underlying public methods have been reviewed by leading experts in mental health, substance use, physical health, health research, and payment policy, resulting in a first-of-its-kind source to quantify parity at the plan level publicly.

“The American Medical Association looks forward to using this tool to increase transparency and strengthen enforcement of mental health and substance use disorder parity laws - which is long overdue,” said Bobby Mukkamala, MD, AMA president-elect and chair of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force. “The lack of enforcement continues to harm patients seeking necessary care. This tool will allow policymakers to see where insurance companies are failing, so we can all work together to ensure those companies not following the law are held accountable.”

To explore the Mental Health Parity Index, click here. For more information about the Illinois pilot or national expansion, contact info@thekennedyforum.org.

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ABOUT THE KENNEDY FORUM

The Kennedy Forum (TKF) works for mental health as essential health. The organization aligns stakeholders to advance policies and goals that affect system change. Co-founded by former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, who co-authored the bipartisan Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and his wife, Amy L. Kennedy, the nonprofit plays a distinct role as a catalyst for change.

The Kennedy Forum launched the Alignment for Progress, a national movement working toward a bold 90-90-90 vision: By 2033 90% of the population is screened for MH/SUD, 90% who need it receive evidence-based treatment, and 90% manage symptoms and achieve recovery.

The organization sustains impactful movement building; leads local, state, and federal policy efforts with a focus on mental health parity; addresses barriers for structural change; and works for better mental health through the life course, with youth mental health and prevention at the forefront. As a result, the organization builds and shares seminal tools, new research, and key resources.

ABOUT THIRD HORIZON

Third Horizon is a Chicago-based strategic, boutique advisory firm focused on designing integrated health and social systems so all communities, families, and individuals can thrive. Through its work across three advisory areas – behavioral health, community health, and payment design and analytics – the firm offers a 360º view of complex challenges across three horizons (past, present, and future) to help industry leaders and policymakers interpret signals and trends and develop upstream innovations, strategies, and structural changes that maximize the value of the yearly spend on health care.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care.  The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.

Abbie Kopf
                    The Kennedy Forum
                    4698344500
                    abbie.kopf@thekennedyforum.org