It was a long-standing rule of thumb that if you or a loved one needed addiction treatment, you had to pay out-of-pocket, hope that your health insurance provider offered some level of benefits or rely on state and local sources for financial help. The Federal government was firmly removed from funding addiction treatment.
However, according to npr.org, this policy may be changing with a proposed policy change affecting Medicaid. In a substantial turnaround, Federal help may soon become available as the program is proposing to cover 15 days of inpatient rehab per month for anyone enrolled in a Medicaid managed care plan.
Is 15 Days Of Inpatient Treatment Enough?
Those within the addiction treatment industry are certainly supportive of the additional support potentially being offered to those who need help battling drug or alcohol addiction. Yet, many believe that 15 days of residential care isn’t sufficient for those with addictions to heroin, prescription painkillers, alcohol and other hard-to-treat substances.
The majority of addiction treatment professionals believe that it simply takes more than 15 days to obtain a positive outcome from addiction treatment. The concern is that those who undergo treatment for this length of time are likely to fall back into addiction shortly after treatment. With poor outcome rates, the policy change may do little to help those in need.
What The Proposed Policy Change Could Mean For Addiction Treatment Providers
Along with individuals struggling with addiction, the policy change could also affect providers of addiction treatment services. This funding could potentially open up the possibility to obtaining addiction treatment to a greater number of individuals.
However, these prospective patients may only be able to obtain the amount of treatment offered by the program – 15 days. Thus, it may be necessary to consider how these individuals can combine other resources from state and local funding, other forms of insurance, and private funding to obtain the amount of treatment that will provide the best chance of long-term recovery.
With each relapse, recovery is more challenging. Thus, the goal of any program is to provide the individual the best chance of sustaining recovery after they leave inpatient addiction treatment.
Stay On Top Of Changes In The Addiction Treatment Industry
Because our industry is rapidly evolving due in large part to changes in health insurance and public funding of insurance, it’s vital to stay on top of what is happening. With the latest information, you can position your treatment facility and provide the correct information to individuals struggling with addiction and their loved ones.
Are you searching for an experienced partner to guide your marketing efforts? Contact the treatment industry leaders at America in Rehab today to learn more about our services.