All Demographics Report Personal Experience With the Disease

Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) Poll Shows Widespread Concern about Cost of and Access to Treatment

A new poll conducted for the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative found that, regardless of race, age, where people live or income, most Americans know someone personally who has been addicted to alcohol or drugs, are worried about access to affordable treatment and support including treatment in national health care reform. The CATG initiative seeks to ensure that all people who need alcohol or drug addiction treatment have access to quality treatment services.

Among the key findings of the national poll, conducted by Lake Research Partners:

  • Three-quarters of Americans (76%) know someone personally who has been addicted to alcohol or drugs. Personal experience with addiction spans all demographic groups.
  • Half of Americans (49%) do not think they would be able to afford the costs of treatment if they or a family member needed it. This concern about affordability is highest among Americans with incomes under $50,000 (67% say they would not be able to afford treatment).
  • Three-quarters (75%) of Americans are concerned that people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs many not be able to get treatment because they lack insurance coverage or cannot afford it.
  • Nearly three-quarters (73%) support including alcohol and drug addition treatment as part of national health care reform to make it more accessible and affordable. This support cuts across all demographic groups.
  • Two-thirds of Americans (68%) also support increasing federal and state funding for alcohol and drug prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

“Americans are concerned that people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs may not be able to get the treatment they need because they lack insurance coverage or can’t afford treatment and the facts support this concern,” said Victor Capoccia, director of the CATG initiative. “We are treating just 10 percent of the 23 million people in the United States who need addiction treatment.”

Capoccia added, “Addiction is an equal opportunity disease, as demonstrated by these research findings. It is blind to our differences and it unites us behind a common purpose – closing the addiction treatment gap.”

The research findings were released in conjunction with the passage on June 15, 2009 of a resolution from the U.S. Conference of Mayors urging “Congress to pass legislation expanding funding for alcohol and drug prevention, treatment, and recovery services for all who need them.”

“Mayors are acutely aware of the toll addictions take on our cities,” said Providence, RI Mayor David N. Cicilline, a partner in the CATG initiative. “Especially in a time of economic hardships and reduced budgets, we cannot abandon addiction treatment. As the resolution makes clear, mayors believe that treatment works, and that government has a critical role to play in closing the addiction treatment gap.”

The American Medical Association has determined addiction is a disease. Just like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, addiction can be treated successfully over time, with patient dedication and community support. No other chronic disease affects so many Americans and yet receives such little funding support.

“Addiction is a serious health condition and Americans of all walks of life recognize that there are real cost barriers to effective addiction treatment,” said Diana Morris, Director of OSI Baltimore. “There is tremendous momentum now to reform the nation’s health care system. It is clear that Americans – across all demographic groups – strongly support the inclusion of addiction treatment.”

The telephone survey was conducted May 29 – June 1, 2009 among a nationally-representative sample of 1,001 adults 18 and older. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.1 percentage points. The complete results are available at www.treatmentgap.org.

CATG Enhances Web Site with Resources for Media, Policymakers and Others

In addition to announcing polling, CATG also launched several expanded sections of its Web site, www.treatmentgap.org. Designed as an information resource for media, policy- and decision-makers, the drug and alcohol addiction treatment community, and others, CATG’s new resource sections are now populated with impact briefs on key issues, along with links to various studies relevant to the addiction treatment community, the health care debate, and related issues.

The new resources can be found on CATG’s web site under the “Research” (www.soros.org/initiatives/treatmentgap/research) and “Publications & Articles” (www.soros.org/initiatives/treatmentgap/articles_publications) sections.

Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) is a national program of the Open Society Institute. This initiative is designed to create an awareness of — and increase resources to close — an alarming treatment gap: currently, four out of five Americans who need drug and alcohol addiction treatment are unable to get it. The initiative aims to mobilize public support for expanded treatment by increasing public funding, broadening insurance coverage, and achieving greater program efficiency.

Source: Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap


Consumer Watchdog Calls on Congress to Ban Bonuses For Canceling, Delaying or Denying Medical Care

Consumer Watchdog called on Congress to ban any health insurance employee from receiving bonuses for canceling, delaying, or denying necessary medical care to patients based on new evidence made public.

The evidence released by the House subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations shows that WellPoint, the nation’s largest health insurer, rewarded employees for canceling coverage of sick patients. Employees earned high points on “performance reviews” for retroactively canceling policies — a practice known as “rescission.”

Peggy Raddatz testified at the hearing today about her brother, Otto Raddatz, who died of lymphoma after his health insurer cancelled his coverage. Otto’s insurer based the rescission on Otto’s failure to disclose an aneurysm and gall stones on his application — conditions that Otto’s doctor had never told him about.

All three insurance executives who testified at the House subcommittee hearing today refused to commit to only cancel policies of patients who lie about their health on their insurance application. This shows that insurance companies will continue to look for inappropriate reasons in the fine print of insurance policies and applications to refuse necessary medical treatment, according to Consumer Watchdog.

“The committee’s stunning discovery demonstrates both the need for a real public alternative to for-profit insurers and new legal accountability of insurance companies that are willing to lie, cheat and kill to boost profits,” said Jerry Flanagan, Health Care Policy Director for Consumer Watchdog. “When asked by the committee chairman, WellPoint and other executives refused to protect innocent patients by only rescinding policies in cases of fraud. That should send a clear message that insurance companies and HMOs cannot be trusted with our health. New accountability and a competitive public alternative to the for-profit insurance market are the only paths to halt insurers from bankrupting, even killing their patients to increase profit.”

According to documents obtained by the subcommittee, one employee of Blue Cross, a subsidiary of Wellpoint, received a perfect score of “5″ in a company performance review after saving the company nearly $10 million through policy rescissions. Three insurance companies — WellPoint, Golden Rule (owned by United Health) and Assurant — rescinded more than 20,000 policies over five years and refused to pay for more than $300 million in medical expenses, according to documents uncovered by the committee.

Download the WellPoint “performance reviews” here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/PerformanceReviews.pdf

Review other committee documents here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1 671:energy-and-commerce-subcommittee-hearing-on-terminations-of-individual-hea lth-policies-by-insurance-companies-&catid=133:subcommittee-on-oversight-and-i nvestigations&Itemid=7

Last week Consumer Watchdog called for new legal accountability of health insurers. Download that letter here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=27748

Wittney Horton of Los Angeles, whose own insurance was cancelled after she sought routine medical care, testified at today’s hearing, urging lawmakers to stop insurance companies from canceling or downgrading insurance coverage when patients get sick.

In her testimony to the committee today, Wittney Horton said:

“Americans desperately need health care reform. As my experience shows, owning an insurance policy does not necessarily equal access to health care. If insurance companies are not prevented from canceling or restricting coverage after patients get sick, insurance policies are not worth the paper they are printed on. Insurance companies are making record profits by collecting premiums in exchange for the promises they make to be there when people need them. Make them keep that promise.”

Download Ms. Horton’s complete testimony here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/HortonTestimony.pdf

When Horton applied for coverage with Blue Cross, she filled out the long and confusing application to the best of her ability. She gave Blue Cross permission to review her medical records. Blue Cross accepted her application and sold her coverage. After Horton sought routine medical care, Blue Cross scoured Horton’s medical record and retroactively cancelled her coverage. Blue Cross said it would have never sold her a policy if the company had known Horton had “polycystic ovaries,” a condition not disclosed on her application. The rescission letter was the first time Horton had ever heard about this condition. Horton’s doctor had suspected she had the condition, noted it in Horton’s medical file, but never told Horton about it.

In a letter to chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) last year when the subcommittee began its rescission investigation, Consumer Watchdog urged lawmakers to bar such rescissions unless an insurance company could prove that the patient “intentionally misrepresented” her health condition as required under federal law. Under such an approach, Blue Cross could not cancel Horton’s policy since she was not aware of the condition and therefore could not have lied about it on her application. Download Consumer Watchdog’s letter to Waxman here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/WaxmanRescissionLetter.pdf

Source: Consumer Watchdog


Mayo Genomic Discovery: protecting kidney function during heart failure

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Jun 16,2009

Mayo Clinic cardiology researchers have found a peptide that helps preserve and improve kidney function during heart failure, without affecting blood pressure. Earlier variations of this peptide caused blood pressure to drop limiting the potential benefits to the kidneys. The findings appear in the current Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Heart failure itself and some of the approaches used to treat it can have detrimental effects on the kidneys,” says Mayo cardiologist and lead researcher Robert Simari, M.D. “Our hope is that this compound will help protect kidney function while you’re being treated, and possibly shorten your hospital stay and keep you out of the hospital.”

This new peptide (a unique link of amino acids) has been tested in the laboratory and in animal models and is expected to move into clinical trials next year.

“One of the biggest additional concerns for patients with heart failure is the health of their kidneys,” says Dr. Simari. “The extreme case is that it can lead to the kidneys shutting down completely.” Nearly 5 million Americans are living with heart failure, a condition where the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, exercise intolerance and fluid retention. All can occur when heart function is impaired.

Seven Years of Research

The mapping of the human genome (2000-2003) revealed a gene that produces a protein called BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide). BNP was not only useful in diagnosing heart problems, it also proved therapeutic in treating heart failure. Unfortunately, says Dr. Simari, it had limited use because many heart failure patients experience low blood pressure and BNP lowered it further.

The Mayo investigators discovered an alternative splicing (AS) of BNP in messenger RNA (produced by the same gene). When they shortened the amino acid sequence of ASBNP for testing, they found that it had the same therapeutic benefits as BNP, but without the side effects to blood pressure. Positive impacts include increasing the kidney filtration rate, suppressing harmful protein production, and keeping water and salt flowing from the body. Potentially, this new drug would be given by IV to patients who are being treated in the hospital.

“There’s an important reduction of kidney function every time one of these acute heart failure episodes happens,” says Dr. Simari. “And by stopping one or more of those decrements, we hope there will be an overall improvement in long-term maintenance of kidney function.”

Others on the team include Shuchong Pan, M.D., Ph.D.; Horng Chen, M.D.; Guido Boerrigter, M.D.; Candace Lee; Laurel Kleppe; Amir Lerman, M.D.; Margaret Redfield, M.D.; John Burnett, Jr., M.D.; all from Mayo Clinic, and Deborah Dickey, Ph.D.; Jennifer Hall, Ph.D.; and Lincoln Potter, Ph.D., all from the University of Minnesota. The research was funded by Mayo Clinic, the National Institutes of Health, and Anexon, Inc.

Mayo Clinic and five of the investigators associated with this research have a financial interest in the technology studied in the research. In accordance with the Bayh-Dole Act, that technology has been licensed to Anexon. Mayo Clinic and Drs. R. Simari and Dr. S. Pan have received royalties from the licensing of that technology of greater than the federal threshold for significant financial interest. Drs. J. Burnett, M. Redfield and H. Chen have received royalties less than the federal threshold for significant financial interest. In addition, Mayo Clinic holds an equity position in Anexon.

Source: Mayo Clinic


HPV vaccine acceptability study announces results

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Jun 16,2009

Female caregivers of African American girls are reluctant to have their children vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), according to a new study by the Center for Community Health (CCH) at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The HPV Vaccine Acceptability Study discovered a few major themes from its focus groups:

  • Most participants lacked information about the virus and the vaccine, but wanted a source of unbiased, trustworthy information.
  • Many participants were unwilling to have their children vaccinated for HPV due to negative perceptions of the vaccine. These perceptions were caused by distrust of the medical/ pharmaceutical community, as well as suspicions over the governor’s mandate for the vaccine.
  • Many participants were concerned about the long-term side effects of the vaccine on their children.
  • Participants’ decisions whether to vaccinate their children were complicated by the association between HPV and sexual activity. Many participants said they were teaching their child to abstain until marriage.

Furthermore, while the majority of women had learned about HPV and the HPV vaccine through TV commercials, they indicated that this was not a trusted source of information. Instead, women wanted to receive information from their children’s schools or primary care physicians. Participants also indicated that they would like the information to be more readily available through other community avenues, like churches and libraries.

Participants were the mother or primary female caregiver of an African American girl between 7 and 18 years old. They had to be 24 years old or older, reside in Tarrant County, and speak English. When asked about their education levels, 32.6 percent had graduated high school or received their GED; 39.5 percent had one to three years of college; and 23.3 percent were college graduates.

Only 21 percent of participants indicated that they did not have a personal doctor or healthcare provider, and 84 percent reported they had visited their doctor in the previous year for a routine checkup. Despite these high levels of education and regular use of a primary healthcare provider, 51 percent answered false when asked if HPV is a sexually transmitted disease.

CCH and its study partners intend to use the information gathered from this study to create an awareness campaign to educate women about HPV and the HPV vaccine, so that they can make informed decisions about whether or not to have their daughters vaccinated.

The study was conducted in collaboration between Kathryn Cardarelli, PhD, director of the CCH, and Rachael Jackson, MPH, associate director of the CCH; Roberto Cardarelli, DO, MPH, director of the Primary Care Research Institute at the UNT Health Science Center; Anita Kurian, MBBS, DrPH, chief epidemiologist at Tarrant County Public Health; and Amy Raines, MPH, and Latawnya Peachy, MPH, with the City of Fort Worth Women’s Health Initiative. The study was funded by ForHER, one of the UNT Health Science Center’s Health Institutes of Texas.

Source: University of North Texas Health Science Center


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