Millions of people with addiction rely on Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans, for care.
Medicaid is the single largest payer of mental health and substance use disorder care in the U.S. Critically, adults with opioid use disorder are almost twice as likely to receive treatment if they have Medicaid, compared to being uninsured or on private insurance.
Currently, Congress is considering significant cuts to Medicaid. While specific details are still unknown, Congress may impose limits on how much care the program will pay for, restrict eligibility for individuals, cut benefits, and/or institute work requirements. Changes like these would lead people to lose their insurance coverage, reduce access to substance use care, and lead to worse health outcomes, including more overdose deaths.
We encourage you to send a letter to your members of Congress to oppose such changes to Medicaid and protect access to SUD care. In the midst of ongoing overdose and addiction crises, we cannot afford to cut access to lifesaving care.
We know many of you may have personal experiences that highlight the importance of Medicaid. If you or a loved one received addiction care through Medicaid, we encourage you to reach out and share your story with your representatives.
