“Addiction costs the nation over $480 billion each year…” according to a radio show I was half listening to the other day, mainly because I was too lazy to go over and turn it off.
I was stunned by that number. Just stunned. I mean I knew it was a lot, but so much?
The show was a discussion about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on the WHYY radio program “Voices In The Family.” The guest host, Maiken Scott, went on to mention a number of societal issues with huge costs to the U.S. that are caused by addiction, then she added that it’s “…a list that goes on and on.”
Of course there are enormously detrimental affects on our society in terms of human suffering, violence, child abuse, homelessness, etc. that can be heart rending in their consequences. But I’m not talking about those in this post. I’m talking here about the budgetary implications of the new ACA and how it could change things in regard to expenditures directly and indirectly caused by addiction, or as it seems should be more properly be called, substance use disorders.
One of the three guests, a research scientist, stated that the way we have traditionally dealt with addiction in the U.S. is totally out of step with what scientific research has shown for some time to be effective. The new health care law would change that. In fact, according to this expert, “…There will be no illness that is more affected than addiction by the Affordable Care Act…”
Apparently not only are the ways we have been treating the addiction problem antiquated but completely out of step with science. Specifically, the organization of our health care system has pretty much prevented the use of the most effective treatment methods for substance abuse.
If the Affordable Care Act is actually allowed to go fully into effect, doctors will for the first time ever in the U.S. be encouraged and compensated for learning about addiction. They will learn how to fit into their own practices early screening for substance abuse disorders and be able to do so. They will know what to look for in say a surly teenager or stressed out executive. And they will know what to do with such patients to help them.
Primary care physicians will be able in their own offices – this is apparently incredibly important to effective care – be able to treat everyone with substance abuse problems early enough and effectively enough to actually make a difference in outcomes.
Most importantly, to me at any rate, they would be able to help young people who may just be starting to misuse whatever – illegal drugs, legal ones, alcohol, cough medicine – before it gets so bad they end up in the justice system.
It’s mind boggling just how much money – not to mention suffering – would be saved by this new approach. I can’t even begin to imagine all the numbers, but they would be enormous, much bigger than the $480 billion a year now spent by the U.S. on addiction alone.
Here’s a link to listen to the show: http://www.whyy.org/91FM/voices.html