“When someone is ready for treatment, New Life will certainly look at all reasonable options to help their recovery.” -Jennifer Wheeler, business development and outreach director, New Life Addiction Counseling Services
insurance, he points out. Third party reimbursement is important because clients who can afford to pay the entire cost of treatment represent “a select few,” Collins says. They tend to be adults who are well-established in their careers, or younger adults whose parents are covering the cost. Those in their late teens to early 30s make up the demographic group that seems to be the most prone to substance abuse and addiction, and also “the largest population we serve,” Collins says. Jennifer Wheeler, business development and outreach director for New Life, says “we are very pleased” that the Affordable Care Act included a behavioral health option, since it has allowed some previously uninsured persons to have coverage for mental health and addiction treatment services. A signi cant percentage of New Life clients use Medicaid to pay for their care because New Life is a participating provider in the state of Maryland's Medicaid program, according to Wheeler. A number of those are people in their 20s who were previously covered by their parents' insurance, but have reached the age of 26, and “aged out” of being covered as dependents. When an uninsured person who has decided they need treatment contacts New Life, “we encourage them to sign up for Medicaid,” Wheeler says. “The Medicaid enrollment process is quick, and coupled with our nance and billing department, we will get the client in as soon as they are approved.”The sta also works with each uninsured client to set up a viable payment plan. “When someone is ready for hen an uninsured person who has decided they ne d treatment contacts New Life, “we encourage the to sign up for Medicaid,” Whe ler says. “The Medicaid enrollment proces is quick, and coupled with our nance and billing department, we will get the client in as o n as they are ap roved.”The sta also works with each uninsured client o set up a viable pay ent plan. “When so eone is ready for treatment, New Life will certainly look at all reasonable options to help their recovery.” treatment, New Life will certainly lo k at all reasonable options to help their ecovery.”
Regarding Medicaid's reimbursement rates for addiction treatment services, Wheeler says New Life’s executive team considers them“reasonable.” But one problem in serving clients whose only coverage is provided by Medicaid, Wheeler says, is a shortage of inpatient treatment facilities to meet their needs – especially with opiate addiction rates continuing to increase. Medicaid rates are “reasonable” Regarding Medicaid's reimburse ent rates for ad iction treatment services, Whe ler says New Life’s executive tea considers the “reasonable.” But one proble in serving clients whose only coverage is provided by Medicaid, Whe ler says, is a shortage of inpatient reatment facil ties to me t their ne ds – especially with opiate ad iction rates continuing to increase. When the landmark Affordable Care Act became law in 2010, advocates for mental health and addiction treatment hailed it as the start of a new era of equality for those who need care. But addiction treatment professionals say that while the ACA represents a step forward, it is anything but a remedy for all dif culties. Over the years, treatment providers have made great strides in developing care methods to yield positive outcomes. Today, the biggest challenge in providing addiction and mental health treatment may be guring out who will pay for that care. So, most of the questions involving the impact of the ACA, aka Obamacare, involve reimbursement, says Jim Collins, counselor and business development manager for New Life Addiction Counseling Services. One group the ACA does not cover is the voluntarily uninsured, those who “choose not to have the government involved in their nancial life – either because they work for cash or have an illicit means of income,” Collins says. There is also a lack of facilities to provide addiction treatment; just because someone has insurance doesn't mean a particular facility necessarily takes that
Regarding possible solutions to help make treatment a ordable for more people, Collins would like to see changes in the procedural requirements insurance companies place on treatment providers like New Life. One of the major drivers of addiction treatment costs is patients who relapse, and – in some cases – cycle through treatment multiple times. Collins believes one way to reduce relapse rates would be to adopt more of a “top-down” approach: since insurers are focused on reducing costs, they typically favor starting with less-expensive outpatient care. They see inpatient care as a second option, for patients who have failed at outpatient treatment. Collins says it would make more sense to start with inpatient care, rather than “making clients fail at a lower level of care” before receiving inpatient treatment. In the latter case, patients who need inpatient treatment often have to be placed on waiting lists until a bed is available. “Any number of things” could happen to a client while they are waiting – a health crisis, incarceration or even death. So, “waiting is not the best option.” Regarding pos ible solutions to help make treatment a ordable for more people, Collins would like to se changes in the procedural requirements insurance companies place on treatment providers like New Life. One of the major drivers of ad iction treatment costs is patients who relapse, and – in some cases – cycle through treatment multiple times. Collins believes one way to reduce relapse rates would be to adopt more of a “top-down” ap roach: since insurers are focused on reducing costs, they typically favor starting with les -expensive outpatient care. They se inpatient care as a second option, for patients who have failed at outpatient treatment. Collins ays it would make more sense to start with inpatient care, rather than “making clients fail at a lower level of care” before receiving inpatient reatment. In the lat er case, patients who ne d inpatient treatment often have to be placed on waiting lists until a bed is available. “Any number of things” could hap en to a client while they are waiting – a health crisis, incarceration or even death. So, “waiting is not he best option.”
“Waiting is not the best option.” -Jim Collins, counselor and business development manager, New Life Addiction Counseling Services.
Addiction treatment in the age of Obamacare i i e e i e e f b e
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