According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 22.5 million individuals, or about 8.5 percent of the U.S. populace, aged 12 or older needed treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction. Only 4.1 million, however, got any type of treatment.
Why Aren’t Men and women Seeking Help?
Many factors are present, but a major obstacle is price. Rehab centers are costly, and having to take time off work is basically a deal-breaker for a lot of working Americans.
But what if substance abuse treatment was paid for by insurance– would more Americans look for the treatment they want and require? The state of Delaware is dedicated to finding out.
Just last month, house legislators unanimously authorized a package of bills aimed at guaranteeing those dealing with substance abuse issues get proper treatment.
Updated Regulations Aimed at Addiction Treatment
One such component of legislation, House Bill 100, seeks to guarantee that individuals with private and public insurance coverage obtain the substance abuse treatment they require and are entitled to by law.
Under HB100, the Department of Justice is required to offer legal assistance to those looking for benefits from the state’s Medicaid system, traditional health plans, or employer-funded health benefit plans. In addition, it requires Medicaid and private insurance providers to inform those who are denied treatment of the option of legal assistance in challenging claim denials.
Advocates of the bill say rejection of insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment is a major cause of failed treatment initiatives by individuals looking for help, as well as a cause of the shortage of proper treatment centers in Delaware.
” Insurance companies should do the right thing by their insurees,” said chief sponsor Rep. Helene Keeley, D-Wilmington. “If they struggle, if they stumble, they should have the right to go back.”
Delaware’s New Bills Battle Opioid Epidemic
The Delaware Senate also passed associated legislation that calls for insurers to offer coverage for medically essential inpatient addiction treatment free from demanding pre-screening, referrals, or prior permission. This is a huge step in the right direction, as this bill would ensure at least 14 days of treatment before an evaluation is conducted by the insurance company.
The third piece of legislation developed a new committee to help supervise the prescription drug database. Under this bill, authorities would be able to focus attention on the small number of Delaware doctors who are prescribing an unusually substantial percentage of the state’s prescription opiates.
Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn weighed in on the bills, specifying they were a crucial step forward in finishing the “public health epidemic of this generation.”
What do you think about Delaware’s new legislation? Will these bills have a favorable effect and help more individuals get the addiction treatment services they require? Let us know your views in the comments section below. And feel free to reach out and contact Northlake Recovery anytime, if you feel like yourself or a loved one is suffering from Drug, or Alcohol Addiction. Toll Free (561)-770-6616.
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