After nearly 15 years of nondiscriminatory coverage, the largest plan in
the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program cut its coverage of care for
mental illness disproportionately to coverage for other health care in 1981
and 1982. "Catastrophic" coverage for inpatient mental illness care was
introduced by many of the plans in 1984. The authors review the reductions
in coverage from economic and clinical perspectives, highlighting the
impact of the disparity between the coverage for mental illness and other
medical conditions. The model of catastrophic protection for treatment of
mental illness set forth in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
does not bode well for the patient and family who must cope with such a
financial contingency.Abstract Teaser