Drug Addiction Treatment: A Victim of the Economy?
For months now, people have been losing their jobs due to the failing economy. Despite recent surges in the stock market and reports that fewer and fewer are reporting job losses, it seems that there are still a number of victims of the financial problems in our economy and drug addiction treatment may be one of those victims.
Iowa: Drug Addiction Treatment Cut in New Budget
According to Jennifer Jacobs and Jason Clayworth at the Des Moines Register, drug addiction treatment is one of many programs being cut in Iowa’s new budget. Governor Culver of Iowa cut about $16 million from the budget in programs that include “preschool programs, college grant money, advocates for foster children, child abuse prevention, chiropractic care for people on Medicaid, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and drug-addiction treatment, unwanted pregnancy prevention services, school lunch programs and amusement device inspections.”
It seems short sighted to cut drug addiction treatment when numerous studies point to the ability of drug rehab to cut costs in other areas like law enforcement, court costs, prison costs, and medical services among others. But in Iowa like the rest of the nation, the money just isn’t there to cover the upfront costs even though the cuts will cost more in the long run.
Drug Addiction Treatment Costs Prohibitive to Individuals
The cost of drug and alcohol rehab is cited as one of the top three reasons why people who need medical treatment for addiction often procrastinate on enrolling in a program even when they know that they need it. Either they have no health insurance or their health insurance won’t fully cover the cost or they can’t afford the time off of work. It appears to many that getting medical detox and addiction treatment is simply too expensive despite the fact that drug addiction itself and avoiding treatment is far more expensive in the long run.
The Cost of Avoiding Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Consider how much you spend on maintaining your drug and/ or alcohol addiction. How much does it cost to get a bag of weed, to pay for a bottle of Xanax or Vicodin or codeine, to get a bottle of liquor or a case of beer? Often the costs of the drugs alone mean that drug rehab would pay for itself within six months.
But consider the other costs of addiction. Add up the late fees from bills that are paid late because you are too high to remember to pay them on time. What about the costs of car repairs because you didn’t change the oil or notice the check engine light or get the smog check and licensing taken care of on time? How about the legal fees for DUI tickets, for damage done to public and private property, for court costs on these issues and more? Add in the untold emotional costs to your relationships, your reputation, your self esteem and pride, your children, your family, your opportunities at work and in the community and the cost of drug rehab is suddenly starkly minimal in comparison.
Covering Up Front Costs of Drug Rehab Now
Check with your health insurance provider first. Whether you have state-provided coverage or private healthcare insurance, there is likely some coverage for drug rehab and treatment. To cover the rest of the costs, consider a loan, scholarships, programs that provide assistance for your gender, ethnicity or age group through local organizations.
How did you pay for your drug rehab costs? Do you have any advice for those who need assistance in covering the costs?
