Donald Young, president of the Washington-based Health Insurance Association of America, criticized mental health coverage mandates, saying that they ultimately operate as a hidden tax on workers. "At a time when healthcare costs are soaring, the last thing employers and workers need is a new mandate that will make health insurance even more expensive," Mr. Young said.

He said that workers will actually foot the bill for the mandates.

"Lawmakers support them because they can get credit for something that doesn't cost the government anything," Mr. Young said.

Neil Trautwein, director of employment policy for the Washington-based National Association of Manufacturers, praised President Bush's comment that the expanded benefit should not greatly increase the cost of health coverage. But he added that it may be difficult to achieve that goal.

"The balance between cost and coverage is hard to find, and one can easily become the enemy of the other," Mr. Trautwein said.

"Employers support mental health coverage but we also remember past abuses in such coverage that prompted current restrictions in the first place," he added.

At a speech yesterday in Albuquerque, N.M., President Bush outlined a plan to improve access to mental health care.

First, he said, he will support legislation that eliminates disparities in mental health coverage. The legislation, the President said, should prevent health plans from applying less generous treatment or financial limitations on mental health benefits than are imposed on medical or surgical benefits.

Second, the President said, he will establish a new commission to identify ways to better coordinate public and private mental health systems.

The 15-member commission, President Bush said, will identify the needs of patients, the barriers to care and investigate community-based care models that can successfully coordinate the diverse system that currently exists.