Insurers Refusing to Pay for Meth Treatment January 7, 2005
News Summary
A provider in central Wisconsin is reporting that insurers are refusing to pay treatment costs for methamphetamine, WQOW reported on January 4."The reason they are turning us down is because the success rates are so low," says Dr. Shawna Kovach of L.E. Phillips Libertas Center, whose physicians admitted 169 patients for methamphetamine treatment last year.
Dr. Kovach reports that some insurers are telling the center "that the drug is not the same as other substances," according to the news report.
Group Health CEO Peter Farrow refutes her assertion, saying "I do not know of a situation of an insurer not covering a specific addiction."
To make up for lost revenue, the non-profit center is applying for grants and has contacted state regulators, who will investigate the insurance companies.
Take Action: Requiring and enforcing equal insurance coverage for drug and alcohol treatment is among Join Together's 10 Drug and Alcohol Policies That Will Save Lives.
What You Can Do: Ask your state legislator to pass laws that require parity coverage for addictive disorders. For more information visit: Ending Discrimination against People with Drug and Alcohol Problems and Hot Issues: Parity
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