Former First Ladies and SOAR Founder Urge Comprehensive Coverage of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment

Strategic Insights -

Betty Ford and Rosalynn Carter, former first ladies, testified before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee on March 8, urging members to include a comprehensive benefit package for mental health and treatment of alcoholics and other drug addicts. They drew upon the success of companies like McDonnell Douglas, Federal Express, and Digital, which have used individualized management of benefits to cover mental health treatment, proving it can be fiscally beneficial. Carter and Ford stated that "extensive research shows that treatment and prevention of drug and alcohol abuse saves this nation tens of millions of dollars by avoiding far more expensive medical care and by reducing criminal justice, foster care, lost productivity and other social and economic costs."

Simultaneously, SOAR Founder Harold Hughes testified before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee, emphasizing that adequate treatment availability for alcoholics and addicts is the most cost-effective way to fight crime, reduce health care costs, and build sustained economic growth. Hughes stated, "The average cost of alcoholism treatment can be recovered within three years after treatment is initiated, in medical utilization savings for the addict alone." He urged lawmakers to look beyond the myths and half-truths surrounding addiction treatment, highlighting two truths: abstience is essential to recovery, and all citizens have to be part of the solution to reduce the nearly $300 billion annual cost of untreated addiction.

Key Takeaways:

  • Former First Lady Betty Ford and Rosalynn Carter testified before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee on March 8, advocating for comprehensive benefit packages for mental health and addiction treatment.
  • Companies like McDonnell Douglas, Federal Express, and Digital have successfully implemented individualized benefit management for mental health treatment, demonstrating fiscal benefits.
  • Extensive research shows that addiction treatment and prevention saves the nation tens of millions of dollars by reducing costly medical care and social and economic costs.
  • SOAR Founder Harold Hughes emphasized that adequate addiction treatment is the most cost-effective way to fight crime, reduce health care costs, and build sustained economic growth.
  • The average cost of alcoholism treatment can be recovered within three years, with savings in medical utilization.
  • Abstinence is essential to recovery, and all citizens must be part of the solution to address the nearly $300 billion annual cost of untreated addiction.
  • Hughes presented SOAR's recommendations for strengthening the substance abuse benefit, including separating the substance abuse benefit from the mental health benefit, establishing standard treatment requirements, and reimbursing treatment costs on the level of care, not the setting.
  • SOAR recommends a minimum benefit package consisting of 10 hours of assessment and intervention services, detoxification as needed, 30 days of residential rehabilitation for adults and 45 for adolescents, and 130 hours of outpatient continuing care services.
  • Hughes warned lawmakers not to be fooled by opponents' figures, citing that only less than 1% of those eligible for treatment actually seek help, and that increasing this number to even 30% would have a tremendous positive financial impact on America.

Statistics:

  • Tens of millions of dollars saved by treating and preventing drug and alcohol abuse (Carter and Ford)
  • $300 billion annual cost of untreated addiction (Hughes)
  • Average cost of alcoholism treatment recovered within three years (Hughes)
  • Savings in medical utilization from treating addiction (Hughes)
  • Less than 1% of eligible individuals seek treatment (Hughes)

Sources:

  • Betty Ford and Rosalynn Carter, testimony before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, March 8
  • Harold Hughes, SOAR Founder, testimony before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee,
  • SOAR recommendations for strengthening the substance abuse benefit
  • Various sources mentioned throughout the text