A New Era of Transparency in Mental Health

The Mental Health Parity Index brings long-overdue visibility into how mental health and substance use disorder services are reimbursed and contracted compared to physical health.

While the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires parity in coverage, the reality on the ground has been far harder to measure. Gaps have remained hidden behind complex data, inconsistent reporting, and years of claims-based analysis that lag behind real-time conditions.

The Index changes that—making transparency the starting point. Built on vast public datasets now released monthly by insurers, it turns raw, hard-to-analyze data into a clear view of what coverage and access looks like today for mental health and substance use disorders.

A Usable Standard for Systemic Change

What sets the Mental Health Parity Index apart isn’t just what it reveals, but what it makes possible.  

By applying a standardized methodology and visual framework, the Index offers regulators, insurers, employers, and advocates a common language for analyzing and acting on data.

Rather than relying on siloed analyses or case-by-case reviews, stakeholders can now work from the same source of truth, reducing regulatory complexity and leading to more productive conversations, faster and with greater alignment.  

Shifting the Parity Paradigm

Gaps in coverage are no longer theoretical. They're measurable. And that clarity is unlocking new pathways for change.

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The Index offers all stakeholders a starting point to engage more meaningfully:

• Insurers can use the data as a compliance aid and internal insight tool

• Employers can explore ways to incorporate the Index into future third-party administrator contracts  

• Providers can use the data to explore whether reimbursement rates align with physical health services in their communities

• Regulators can flag counties or plans for deeper parity review

• Advocates can support policy reform and connect reimbursement rates to provider shortages and access gaps

From Access to Outcomes

The gaps shown in the Mental Health Parity Index can help shape provider participation, improve access to care, and reduce out-of-pocket costs for individuals. Putting this data to work could create a more balanced system and stronger outcomes:

• Increased provider participation in mental health networks

• Fewer access gaps  

• Lower out-of-pocket costs for individuals

• Earlier, more consistent access to care  

• Increased access to mental health and substance use disorder care, reducing the total cost of health care overall

Building the Future of Parity

While the Mental Health Parity Index launched in Illinois, its design makes it scalable across states, plans, and markets. And momentum is already building.

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To fully realize the potential of the Mental Health Parity Index, sustained effort and collaboration will be essential. Looking ahead, priorities include:

• Expanding the Index to new states and plans

• Providing new views and deeper insights

• Embedding the methodology into market-driving forces  

• Developing technical assistance and resources to support adoption

• Continuing stakeholder engagement to surface new use cases and refine the tool

The Index offers a path toward meaningful improvements in access, reimbursement, and outcomes.

Learn More About the Mental Health Parity Index

The Mental Health Parity Index is a free, open-source platform provided by The Kennedy Forum, in collaboration with founding strategic partners Third Horizon and the American Medical Association, and powered by InterKnowlogy.

​​→ Explore the ​Parity Index

​​→ Discover ​Third Horizon’s work in transforming health and social systems to better serve communities.

​​→ Learn how ​InterKnowlogy’s Enterprise Insights Platform powers tools like the Mental Health Parity Index — making complex data accessible, scalable, and actionable across industries.

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