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Chemical Dependency Treatment Reduces Emergency Room Costs And Visits

Washington State Supplemental Security Income Recipients

Summary

In this study we examine whether chemical dependency (CD) treatment reduces ER costs and ER visits for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) clients, compared to SSI clients who need CD treatment but do not receive it. We find that there is a significant reduction in ER costs when CD treatment is provided to SSI clients who need it.

Graph: Monthly ER Costs Are 35 Percent Lower For SSI Clients Receiving CD Treatment (ER costs per client per month)

• The average monthly ER cost is $442 for SSI clients who need CD treatment but do not receive it. These costs are reduced to $288 per month for SSI clients who receive CD treatment - an ER cost offset of $154 per client per month.

Related Information Frequent Emergency Room Visits Signal Substance Abuse And Mental Illness (11.119fs) Methadone Treatment For Opiate Addiction Lowers Health Care Costs And Reduces Arrests And Convictions (4.49fs) Non-Methadone Chemical Dependency Treatment For Opiate Addiction Reduces Health Care Costs, Arrests And Convictions (4.50fs) Patterns of Prescription Opiate Use By Aged, Blind or Disabled Clients In Washington State (8.27) Reducing Emergency Room Visits Through Chemical Dependency Treatment: Focus on Frequent Emergency Room Visitors (11.121fs) Washington State Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Cost Offset Pilot Project: 2002 Progress Report (11.109) Washington State Mental Health Services: Cost Offsets and Client Outcome (3.29)

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Modified: Thursday August 16 2007

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