Mental health and substance abuse coverage under health reform

President Clinton's health care reform proposal articulates a complete vision for the mental health and substance abuse care system that includes a place for those traditionally served by both the public and the private sectors. Mental health and substance abuse services are to be fully integrated into health alliances under the president's proposal. If this is to occur, we must come to grips with both the history and the insurance-related problems of financing mental health/substance abuse care: (1) the ability of health plans to manage the benefit so as to alter patterns of use; (2) a payment system for health plans that addresses biased selection; and (3) preservation of the existing public investment while accommodating in a fair manner differences in funding across the fifty states.