“Fail First” Policies and Other Barriers to Access to Effective Medications

Research by the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and other leading scientists has proven that alcohol and drug addiction is a disease that can be treated successfully, and has identified a number of medications that are effective tools in treating addiction. But these effective interventions are reaching very few of the more than 23 million Americans who suffer from substance use disorders. Both the public and private sectors inadequately fund addiction treatment and create barriers to providing medications and other successful treatments to those who need them.

LAC's newest resource aims to assist advocates, recovery service providers and others in trying to convince states to remove barriers that discourage or prevent Medicaid from for effective treatment methods for individuals suffering from alcohol or drug dependence, in particular treatments that make use of medications to help individuals overcome their dependence on these substances. The kit describes the massive annual cost of alcohol and drug dependence in money and lives, through lost productivity, increased medical, criminal justice and other costs, and injury and death. It also offers a number of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of these treatment methods. Finally, it argues that these treatments are not only cost-effective, but that the obstacles that discourage their use run counter to a number of new federal and state initiatives which aim to increase access to treatment.

To read, click here.