More than 330,000 Texans with an addiction will become eligible to receive treatment next year under the Affordable Care Act; however the state says their treatment facilities are already at 92 percent capacity.
According to the Associated Press, 86,000 Texans are already receiving treatment for their addiction, but if the state expands Medicaid , an additional 250,000 addicts could seek treatment offered under the health program. According to estimate from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, this will put a strain on Texan addiction treatment centers which only have less than 6,500 beds in total.
State lawmakers have been among the most progressive in the country, establishing diversion programs for drug addicts who commit crime to keep them out of prison. The Texas Senate has also approved legislation adding $30 million over the next two years, according to the report.
This will pose a problem as only 1 cent of every health care dollar in the United States goes toward addiction, and few alcoholics and drug addicts receive treatment.
The rise in patients is expected to push a marginal part of the health care system out of church basements and into the mainstream of medical care. Already, the prospect of more paying patients has prompted private equity firms to increase their investments in addiction treatment companies, according to a market research firm.
