If the United States had unlimited funds, the appropriate response to such a large number of mentally ill Americans would naturally be to provide universal coverage that does not discriminate between health care and mental health . The United States currently does not have unlimited funds to provide universal healthcare, but the country has the ability to stop discrimination in coverage. According to a survey that examined such services from 2005 to 2009, a quarter of the 15.7 million Americans who received mental health treatment said they were the primary payer of services.3 Separate research by the same agency found that the 45% of those who did not receive mental health care list mental health care as a barrier.3 President Obama and the advisors who helped craft the Affordable Care Act recognized the problem facing the mentally ill . Mental healthcare needed to be more accessible, and several measures needed to be taken to help patients recover. While the Affordable Care Act does not provide mentally ill patients with universal coverage, the law made substantial changes to the options available to them. The Affordable Care Act first provides a marketplace where people can search and compare private health plans, get answers to health questions, reduce costs, and enroll in a health plan that meets their needs. The ACA also requires insurance plans to cover mental health benefits. Health insurance plans and Medicaid alternative benefit plans must include mental health and substance use disorder services.4 These plans must meet health and substance use parity, which means coverage for mental health services and substance abuse generally cannot be more restrictive than that for medical and substance abuse services. surgical...... half the sheet......and it doesn't cover? People in the United States are not born with equal opportunities. This is a fact. That said, citizens should be born with equal access to the same healthcare. This healthcare must include mental health and should cover all expenses that people cannot afford. Access to affordable, quality healthcare should be a right. Mental health represents a small percentage of total healthcare costs. As a result, coverage of mental health problems is not considered a priority. We understand that coverage for the poor and the elderly is important. People with pre-existing conditions should be covered. Free preventative care and longer coverage are now available for young adults under their parents' plans. The Affordable Care Act made significant changes to health coverage and the availability of health care.