The effects of National Health Insurance on Canadian Psychiatry: the Ontario experience.

After studying psychiatric coverage under national health insurance in Ontario, the author concludes that psychiatric benefits can be provided on the same basis as other medical benefits and that a government system can maintain confidentiality. Costs have been reasonable and in line with the proportion of psychiartists to the total number of physicians, and psychiartists' incomes have increased substantially, even with comparatively low official fees. Despite the existence of NHI, the public mental health system has been maintained in Canada and has been expanded in regard to children's services. There appears to be a continued need for direct public funding of services for certain other groups such as the elderly, chronic patients, ans substance abusers.