In West Virginia, only one-fifth of the population affected with drug abuse problems get the treatment they need. As a result, the state records a high mortality rate, resulting from drug addiction. These drug-related deaths usually involve opioid overdoses.
According to top public health experts, the opioid crisis may become twice as deadly if this issue is not addressed appropriately. Following this current trajectory, the annual death toll relating to the use of synthetic opioids and pain pills could reach the same horrific statistics as the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the 1990s.
In the article it states,
“Only one-tenth of the 2.2 million Americans with opioid-use disorder get addiction treatment. But most providers I’ve spoken with believe the Affordable Care Act has helped to expand access in unprecedented ways. It’s too early to tell how the Better Care Reconciliation Act will impact these providers—a topic the AP recently took on. But local and regional reporters should report on treatment shortages now, in order to ensure that assistance remains accessible to anyone trying to get clean.”
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