Healthcare reform provides coverage for alcohol addiction
An overlooked aspect of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare is its impact on those dealing with alcohol abuse and addiction. More than 17 million Americans are classified as having an alcohol-abuse problem. Previously, health insurance companies could limit coverage or deny coverage based on a pre-existing condition. But ASU School of Social Work professor Michael Shafer tells insurancequotes.com that alcoholics can no longer be denied health coverage for their addiction.
Shafer is the director of the ASU Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy and an expert on mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. Now that alcohol abuse and addiction can be covered by health insurance, Shafter says medical practioners have to do their part.
"One of the major problems that we have faced in our health care industry is very poor screening (for alcohol abuse) and diagnostic practices by primary care physicians," says Shafer.
Shafer says there are excellent screening instruments available that can identify patients who abuse or are addicted to alcohol. He notes that people can effectively be helped with interventions that can be delivered by a nurse practioner, physician or specially-trained counselor.
Another obstacle is getting people to admit they have a problem. Shafer compares it to people who develop diabetes but refuse to recognize that their diet and lack of exercise is hurting them. He suggests family members can help by talking to their loved one's doctor.
"While there are HIPAA privacy issues regarding what the physician can share with you as a spouse or as a parent or as a sibling, there's no restriction with what you can share with a physician," Shafer says.
There are medications that can help patients dealing with addiction, withdrawal and detox. There are also 12-step programs available that can help.
Read the Q & A with Michael Shafter: http://www.insurancequotes.com/health/alcohol-addiction-treatment