Substance-use treatment under Medicaid jumps, following expansion of program and increase in abuse of painkillers

Kentucky Health News reports that Kentucky’s expanded Medicaid program covered approximately 11,000 substance-use treatment services in the second quarter of 2016, a huge increase from the 1,500 services from January through March 2014, the first quarter that Medicaid was expanded under federal health reform.  The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has published a report that provides an overview of substance use in Kentucky,focusing particularly on issues related to prescription opioid painkillers and heroin. It examines the rise of substance use in Kentucky, compares the Commonwealth to the U.S. and other states, and discusses recent provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) designed to increase access to substance use treatment. Finally, this report examines early data on the effects of implementation of the ACA on substance use in Kentucky.  To read the full report visit http://files.constantcontact.com/1b4946a6001/016c30c7-da57-4a02-9116-1ea07cdb9eae.pdf