The same reasoning applies to issues of alcoholism. In addition, due to common misperceptions about short term business costs which are, unfortunately, more salient at the state level, a federal law is necessary to ensure that states do not avoid treating alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease. A. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction are life threatening diseases. We can significantly reduce the harm they cause when we recognize and treat them as diseases. We can choose to continue to allow addiction to place an unfair financial burden on taxpayers and exact a terrible toll upon affected American workers and their families, or we can ensure that our health system begins to recognize alcoholism and drug addiction as diseases and treat them, thus saving lives, restoring families, and improving communities.
Many employers do provide good substance abuse insurance benefits.
However, due to a lack of understanding about alcoholism and drug addiction as chronic diseases, many employers offer only discriminatory coverage for these medical disorders. Many employers do not offer full treatment coverage simply because they have not learned about the need for it among their own employees. The stigma placed upon alcoholism and addiction prevents many employees from discussing with their employer the disease that is adversely affecting themselves or their adolescent children. Also, although there is strong evidence that treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction does ultimately benefit insurers and employers, it may take time for the long term benefits to appear. Coupled with the continuing stigma associated with alcoholism and drug addiction, there has been little incentive for insurers and employers to change the way they are currently covering these diseases.