Poll: Americans Want Addiction Treatment in Healthcare Reform

Almost three-quarters of Americans support including alcohol and other drug treatment in national healthcare reform to make it more affordable, and two-thirds of survey participants (68 percent) support increasing the amount of federal and state funding for preventing and treating addiction, according to a new poll by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative.

The study also found that three-quarters of Americans (75 percent) are concerned that people with addictions may not be able to afford treatment because of their lack of insurance or finances.

“The facts support this concern,” said Victor Capoccia, CATG’s director. “We are treating just 10 percent of the 23 million people in the United States who need addiction treatment.”

Regardless of age, race, income or residence, 76 percent of Americans know someone who has been addicted to alcohol or drugs, the researchers found. 

The survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,001 adults ages 18 and older.

The CATG initiative seeks to ensure that quality services are available to all who need alcohol or other drug addiction treatment.