Why Care About Less Fortunate Drunks and Addicts and their chances at recovery?
If there’s not a buck to be made, an investment to pursue, or a luxury to indulge, why should we worry about helping less fortunate drunks and addicts anyway? Treating well-insured or wealthy addicts and alcoholics is a great business. Mark-up charges for residential treatment, create rationale why it is justified and the businessman has done his good deed for himself and his investors. Convince the family and the insurance company that the cost and level of care is necessary, you have half the battle won.
What about those poor alcoholics and addicts who only have HMO, EPO, Medicaid/ MediCal or no coverage at all? Haven’t they earned their misery in the first place? Why should we throw good money after bad trying to help them?
“Legislation being marked up Wednesday would phase out Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, which covers 1.2 million Americans with serious mental illness and substance abuse problems, as well as scrap baseline coverage requirements. The change means certain beneficiaries would no longer get coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatments guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act.”
These sentiments emerge in the face of the largest and most deadly drug epidemic in national history. The “arrest and lock them up” war-on-drugs has proven not only ineffective, but massively more expensive than treatment. The block-grant system created a system where people died or are dying in cue, waiting for some form of help.
One hallmark of addiction is “denial”- the tendency to avoid the realization that a problem and a solution exists. Another trait is prioritizing inanimate objects (drugs/ alcohol) and feelings over taking care of loved ones and community. Yet another trademark of addiction is practicing the same behavior expecting different results.
A record number of people are now getting some form of addiction treatment so isn’t obvious that we should end such benefits? Isn’t it more important that we place dollars back in the pockets of the wealthy so that we can return to a system which served few and will increasingly serve fewer?
As a society, we are here. This is the age of personality, property and prestige. The object, the relief and the pleasure is prized over human life.
By the grace of a higher power, there exist mutual help organizations and congregations dedicated to helping those in need for no other return than continued sobriety and serenity. Unfortunately, not everyone has the capacity or willingness to access recovery through such voluntary means. Many alcoholics and addicts need professional engagement, prompting, guidance and case-management to connect with a new sober life.
Call a local non-profit, religiously-affiliated hospital and find out how they can provide detoxification and/or treatment for a Medicaid/ MediCal or indigent patient. Search the internet for a treatment program which can start treating a Medicaid/ MediCal or indigent patient tomorrow.
Next time someone pats your back or their own back for the amazing work being done to get people sober, first consider primary motives.
Everyone has family, friend or acquaintance who has personal losses due to drug and alcohol addiction. Everyone sees who are the most difficult to treat every day. What will be our next priority?
Twin Town Treatment Centers is immediately accessible to all Los Angeles and Orange County residents, is accredited by The Joint Commission, and is certified by the California DHCS. All network HMO/PPO/EPO insurance plans and Medi-Cal contract with Twin Town Treatment Centers to provide drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Our phone is answered by real people. We can see people on the same day you call. (866) 594-8844
