title: Attitudes About Required Coverage of Mental Health Care in a U.S. National Sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent policy initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act have expanded coverage of mental health services. However, to what extent the public supports mandated insurance coverage of mental health care relative to other specific medical services is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report presents results of a cross-sectional, national poll of the U.S. adult population. Respondents (N=2,124) were asked whether health plans should be required to provide coverage for mental health care and other types of medical services. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of respondent characteristics with support for coverage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-eight percent (95% confidence interval=75%-81%) of respondents supported mandated coverage of mental health care. This result was higher than support for birth control medications, equivalent to support for oral or dental care, and lower than support for all other medical services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  True parity for mental health care may be limited if public support lags behind that for other medical services.
authors.affiliation: All authors are with the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Maust, Dr. Zivin, and Dr. Kales are also with the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Moniz is with the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, and Dr. Davis is with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, all at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Send correspondence to Dr. Maust (e-mail: maustd@umich.edu ).
authors.forename: Donovan T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Maust
authors.affiliation: All authors are with the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Maust, Dr. Zivin, and Dr. Kales are also with the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Moniz is with the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, and Dr. Davis is with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, all at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Send correspondence to Dr. Maust (e-mail: maustd@umich.edu ).
authors.forename: Michelle H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Moniz
authors.affiliation: All authors are with the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Maust, Dr. Zivin, and Dr. Kales are also with the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Moniz is with the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, and Dr. Davis is with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, all at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Send correspondence to Dr. Maust (e-mail: maustd@umich.edu ).
authors.forename: Kara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zivin
authors.affiliation: All authors are with the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Maust, Dr. Zivin, and Dr. Kales are also with the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Moniz is with the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, and Dr. Davis is with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, all at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Send correspondence to Dr. Maust (e-mail: maustd@umich.edu ).
authors.forename: Helen C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kales
authors.affiliation: All authors are with the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Maust, Dr. Zivin, and Dr. Kales are also with the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Moniz is with the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, and Dr. Davis is with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, all at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Send correspondence to Dr. Maust (e-mail: maustd@umich.edu ).
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007358:Insurance, Psychiatric / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult