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Poll Finds Bipartisan Agreement on One Aspect of Health Care Reform: Addiction Treatment
September 23, 2009As the debate over health care reform continues on Capitol Hill, a new national poll shows broad, bipartisan support for ensuring that all Americans have access to alcohol and drug addiction treatment. More than three-quarters of all Americans, including 72 percent of Republicans, 88 percent of Democrats and 72 percent of Independents, support including addiction treatment in health care reform, according to a new poll released by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative during National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery month. "Addiction treatment is a gaping hole in our current health care system," said former Rep. Jim Ramstad, who served as co-chair of the House Caucus on Addiction, Treatment and Recovery. "If we fail to treat alcohol and drug addictions, we are not only failing those in need, but are adding to the already heavy burden on our communities, our emergency rooms, our prisons, and our families. Americans across the country and the political spectrum have spoken loud and clear: treatment for alcohol and drug addiction should be fully covered in health care reform." Full release.