Although a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report shows adult alcohol-related deaths spiked some 26% during the COVID-19 pandemic, options for treating alcoholism diminished during that time.
"I do think that easy access [to treatment] is a huge part of the problem," Amanda Wilson, CEO of North Star, an online treatment program for alcohol-use disorder, told Politico. "And easy access to treatment isn't all that accessible."
Relaxed alcohol sales and use rules meant to deal with the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic, and protective measures taken by treatment programs, led to a 26% overall increase in alcohol-induced deaths between 2019-20, the Politico report said.
Alcohol and cocktail on a delivery and to-go basis increased during the period, making alcohol easier to get for many in the country, and have become permanent policies in many locations since the nation reopened, according to the report.
The overall death rate jumped from 10.4 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 13.1 per 100,000 in 2020, the CDC report said.
According to the CDC, alcohol deaths rose in 2020 mostly for people aged 55-64, with the highest yearly increases for males under age 45 and females aged 35-44. The rate for males is four times higher than the rate for females.
Liver disease was the most frequent underlying cause of the deaths, followed by mental illness, the CDC reported.
Even as alcohol became more accessible, treatment options diminished.
Politico reported that a joint 2022 report to Congress from the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services departments show health insurers are slower to pay for or reimburse insured individuals for mental health issues than they are for physical claims, and do not show "adequate" substance abuse or mental health care treatment coverages in their respective networks.
"This first experience provided valuable clarification in expectations for documentation and certification, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Tri-Departments to improve processes to demonstrate compliance," America's Health Insurance Plans trade association spokesman Davis Allen said in an email statement about the report to Politico.
Earlier this month, the association published a list of members that were taking actions to expand treatment options in their plans, including several Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in several states, Cigna, and CVS Health among many others.
In addition to the efforts in the private sector, HHS is offering $1 million grants to 15 states to build clinics for Medicaid patients to expand addiction care, Politico's report said.
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