Financial Cost of Addiction vs. the Cost of an Addiction
Let’s face it, it takes a lot of money to pay for addiction treatments.® The financial cost of Suboxone ® is high. Frequently the financial burden is carried by the patient alone since many insurance companies do not cover the medication. Many are providing some coverage for the doctor visit. The cost of treatment needs to be weighed against the other personal costs and societal costs.
According to SAMHSA, addicts miss over two days of work per month because of their addiction. Whether the employee pays or the employer pays, we are talking about a loss of between 0 and 00 per month depending how much someone makes. This does not include the indirect costs such as conflicts with others causing decreased production at work, lower salary for the person, or decreased business for the employer.
Frequently, drug addicts are under the surveillance of law enforcement. There are probation, court, and drug screen screens. We are also dealing with a huge illicit drug trafficking trade in the United States representing a danger to individuals involved. Heroin addicts are well know for stealing to support their habit, but they are not alone. Others addicted to narcotic pills steal medications and possessions from family and friends.
Addicts are at risk for sexual transmitted diseases through acquisition of the drug. They are at risk for blood clots and bacterial blood infection if opioids are injected. In addition, there is the risk of HIV and hepatitis. Automobile accidents, falls, and accidents due to impairment are problems.
: Many addicts lead secret lives. Their families are not aware of the risk of financial ruin they are being placed in until it is too late. Hiding, sneaking around, and always being worried about getting caught are things the addicct has to live with when using.
I’ve found that most addicts spend about three times on their drug habit than what they would pay if they paid for treatment completely out of pocket. This cost is improved with insurance coverage.
: Addicts have other psychiatric illness more as a rule than as an exception. Depression and other drug and alcohol use are most common. There is a large increase in the risk of death.
When an addict relapses, there is a lost of trust from family members and employers. This frequently leads to job loss and divorce.
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: can be as high as ,000 per year if one pays for medication, doctor visits, and therapy out of pocket. The real cost is about 1/3 of this for many patients.
Patients may have side effects from continuing to use a narcotic medication (Suboxone ® ) including constipations, risk of withdrawal, and risk to the fetus in pregnancy.
Many patients wish they did not have to take any medications and continue to struggle with the idea of taking medication for their addiction.
There remains social disapproval for the use of a narcotic to treat an addiction. Patients may be told they are not “clean” by others and this may weigh heavily on them.
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When considering the financial cost of Suboxone ® (buprenorphine), one must really The evidence supports long term use of methadone or buprenorphine in most “addicted” people. Once patients are stabilized on methadone or buprenorphine,
Dr.Rich is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with licenses in Texas and Hawaii. He specialized in the treatment of opioid addiction with buprenorphine. For more information on Dr.Rich, buprenorphine, and finding a doctor who prescribes buprenorphine near you: http://www.allaboutsuboxone.com/
Heroin Addiction: Born on the Bayou…
Orphaned as a child. Imprisoned from his youth. Crime. Drugs. Immorality. Those were the things that described Donald Eskine as he was raised up in the St. Thomas Housing Projects of New Orleans. How does a young man who never had a father overcome the years of neglect and rejection? How can one overcome the bondages of heroin addiction that drove him to steal to support a habit costing thousands of dollars each week? Wrapped in a blanket and struggling to overcome the withdraws of his addiction, Donald heard a voice that spoke a word that he’d never heard in his life, “My son.” Listen as Pastor Donald Eskine of Raven Gulf Coast Ministries and No Cross No Crown shares how at 32 years old, he finally found the peace and power to escape a lifetime of pain and sorrow. Born on the Bayou . . . Born Again by the Blood of Jesus Christ! more info: www.BigGrace.com
Heroin Addiction: Betty Ford created the celebrity rehab
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Long before it became reality show fodder, Betty Ford helped create the original celebrity rehab. The center that bears her name has a legacy of rehabbing Hollywood’s elite. In …
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Heroin Addiction: Betty Ford helped pave road to recovery for stars
The centre that bears her name has helped rehab many of Hollywood’s top stars, including Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Cash and Lindsay Lohan
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