(7 Apr 2014) VOICE-OVER SCRIPT:
(NAT SOUND - "HIS GLASSES, MY LITTLE MEMORIAL TO HIM)
PATTI DIRENZO SPENT YEARS - AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS - TRYING TO GET TREATMENT FOR HER SON'S HEROIN ADDICTION.
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SALVATORE MARCHESE WAS DENIED ADMISSION TO INPATIENT FACILITIES, BECAUSE INSURANCE WOULDN'T COVER IT, AND DIRENZO COULDN'T AFFORD IT. VISITS TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAME ROUTINE.
WHEN HE FINALLY GOT INTO A REHAB PROGRAM PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY, HE WAS DISCHARGED AFTER 17 DAYS - WHEN THE FUNDING RAN OUT. MONTHS LATER, THE 26-YEAR-OLD WAS FOUND IN HIS MOTHER'S CAR - DEAD OF AN OVERDOSE.
SOUNDBITE: Patty DiRenzo, Mother of Addict:
"If you think about it and you take all those visits, they probably could have gave him treatment for a year or six months you know and instead they just kept releasing him and never gave him the chance."
UNLIKE ALCOHOL WITHDRAWALS WHICH CAN CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SEIZURES, HEROIN WITHDRAWALS AREN'T CONSIDERED DEADLY - SO INSURANCE COMPANIES RARELY COVER IN-PATIENT DETOX.
IT'S A DISTINCTION NORA MULLIGAN HAS BATTLED AGAINST FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. HER SON, TOO, IS A HEROIN ADDICT.
SOUNDBITE: Nora Milligan, Mother of a heroin addict
"He had health insurance and he couldn't access it. I had health insurance, great health insurance, and I couldn't access benefits to take care of him. So financially it crushed me."
MILLIGAN WENT BANKRUPT, HER HOUSE IN FORECLOSURE - TWO SIDE EFFECTS ALL TOO FAMILIAR TO A GROWING NUMBER OF ADDICTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
TOM MCLELLAN, THE FORMER DEPUTY DRUG CZAR, SAYS IT'S NOT IN THE FINANCIAL INTEREST OF INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COVER IN-PATIENT TREATMENTS.
SOUNDBITE: Tom McLellan, President Barack Obama's former deputy drug czar
"recovery is the expectable result of good addiction care, but it's not being provided to most people."
THE NATIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS THE HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY, DEFENDED THE INDUSTRY, SAYING:
"Health insurers rely on evidence-based standards of care that look at: what is the right level of coverage, the right site of coverage, the right combination of treatment."
MCLELLAN SAYS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SHOULD IMPROVE TREATMENT FOR HEROIN ADDICTS.. BUT IT COULD TAKE YEARS FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES TO FULLY COMPLY.
YEARS THAT MILLIGAN SAYS FAMILIES LIKE HERS CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT.
SHE'S HELPING LEAD AN EFFORT IN NEW YORK TO PUT COVERAGE DECISIONS IN THE HANDS OF DOCTORS.
SOMETHING DIRENZO FEELS CAN HELP SAVE LIVES.
DAVID MARTIN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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