Signees of the letter include executives from Aetna, Anthem and Cigna. The insurers, which collectively cover about 248 million people, endorsed eight basic principles — developed by the nonprofit Shatterproof — to help improve healthcare outcomes for people with substance use disorders. They also plan to leverage their purchasing power to reward proven, evidence-based treatments for addiction.
“This is the first step toward a clear, measurable solution,” said Thomas McLellan, PhD, former deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and a scientific advisor to Shatterproof, according to NJ Spotlight. “It can honestly be said that now with proper treatment, recovery is an expectable outcome.”
The care principles endorsed by the insurers include universal screening for substance use disorders across medical settings, access to medication-assisted treatments for addiction and access to fully trained behavioral health professionals, among other standards.
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