As the healthcare debate looms large over the country right now, there are many people who are fearful of what will happen to addiction treatment if Obamacare is repealed. Many families have been able to use the Affordable Care marketplace to get cost-effective policies. These policies usually cover the full cost of addiction treatments.
With the risk of this landmark piece of legislation being repealed, there are many question marks as to how the new healthcare bill being proposed by the Trump White House will deal with addiction treatment. Many analysts believe the repeal and replacement of Obamacare will lay to waste the progress made in the last 40 years regarding insurance coverage of these treatments.
Cuts to Medicaid Would Drastically Reduce Addiction Treatment Options
Medicaid’s spending on the treatment of opioid abuse grew nearly 30% from 2015 to 2016. Many states, like Massachusetts and Kentucky, who have a large number of overdose deaths each year saw a drastic reduction in these fatalities due to the treatment options provided by Medicaid. The proposed cuts that would affect Medicaid should Obamacare be repealed could significantly reduce the addiction treatment options this type of insurance now provides.
The Better Care Reconciliation Act is leading the charge when it comes to rolling back the Medicaid expansion Obamacare provided. This act would restructure this vital program into a system where strict formulas must be abided by rather than the uncapped benefit structure it has today. This would significantly cut the funding this program has and in turn leave a lot of addicts without the treatment options they need to get and stay sober.
Some Insurance Plans Could Drop Mental Health Coverage Altogether
There are many other provisions in this act that could spell disaster for addiction treatment. Among the ten essential health benefits laid out in the Obamacare plan are mental health and substance abuse disorder services. This provision is why all of the insurance policies offered on the Affordable Care marketplace include coverage for these conditions.
The Senate bill attempting to repeal Obamacare would allow some insurance companies to take this type of coverage off of their policies. The Better Care Reconciliation Act could also make it hard for former addicts to get healthcare coverage due to the fact that this disorder can be considered a pre-existing condition.
Do you want to do your part to fight the BRCA? If so, give Colorado Senator Gardner a call at 202-224-5941 to voice your concerns. Simply telling the Senator who you are and what city and state you live in along with why you oppose the BRCA can help this cause greatly. The team at Odyssey Training Center are passionate about ensuring that people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol get the help they need to get sober.