THANKS to our amazingly inefficient and now “medically negligent” medicare system.
So, in 2007 90% of all insurers covered Suboxone. in 2018 only 35%
In the past 10 years where the opioid epidemic soared medicare REDUCED its coverage by 60%.
I guess they weren’t sure that an epidemic is or that it even exists. Can it even be that even now, medicare is still trying to payments for one of the only medications that is been known to save lives? For God’s sake we are in an epidemic in Medicare is trying to tighten the purse strings. if you like this idea you might really love the Medicare for all concept. would that be the same as “no addiction treatment for all” . Sounds kind of scary if you ask me.
I am the medical director for several methadone clinics and just like Suboxone methadone can be extremely useful to free people from the bonds of heroin. The nightmare of building and getting government approval to set up a methadone clinic is much tougher than getting permission to build a pitbull breeding center next to a daycare. Our politicians using the phrase opioid epidemic as yet another tool to advance their own means? Clearly their actions in making access to treatment for addictions argues for that point. What power do we have to combat this?
I’m not really sure what the answer here is. Im so busy just trying to do the daily grind working in the trenches with one person at a time. What can YOU do? If you suffer from addiction you must make your voice count in the vote and if you don’t have anyone close to you that is addicted… well… you will soon….Mark my word!
Stay alive Andreas
J. Edrich MD FASAM ADM MRO
“the addiction doc”