Center for Population Health

The following information represents the percentage of discharges for beneficiaries who were hospitalized for treatment of selected mental illness diagnosis and who had a follow-up visit with a mental health practitioner. The follow-up visit occurred within 7 days and 30 days of the discharge. The results are based on individuals ages 6 years and older who had Medicare or private health insurance coverage.

In 2015, the year prior to the CT SIM implementation, greater percentages of males than females with private insurance coverage had a follow-up visit with a mental health practitioner after hospitalization for mental illness while greater percentages of females than males with Medicare coverage had a follow-up visit. Specifically, 58.6% of males with private insurance had a follow-up visit within 7 days and 76.1% had a follow-up visit within 30 days. 57.4% of private insurance coverage had a follow-up visit within 7 days and 74.7% had a follow-up within 30 days. On the other hand, 56.0% of females with Medicare coverage had a follow-up visit within 7 days and 79.4% had a follow-up visit within 30 days. Lower percentages of males with Medicare coverage had a follow-up visit: 48.9% within 7 days and 74.1% within 30 days.

Since the implementation of CT SIM in 2016, more females than males received follow-up visits. In 2017, the most recent year data are available, there was a decrease in the percentages of males and females with private insurance coverage who received a follow-up visit. 55.8% of females with private insurance had a follow-up visit within 7 days, and 72.6% had a follow-up visit within 30 days. 54.7% of males with private insurance had a follow-up visit within 7 days, and 70.8% had a follow-up within 30 days. As for individuals with Medicare coverage, 58.0% of females had a follow-up visit within 7 days, and 80.7% had a follow-up visit within 30 days. Greater percentages of males with Medicare coverage had a follow-up visit in 2017 from before the implementation of CT SIM: 51.5% within 7 days, and 74.8% within 30 days.