Policy Information Exchange

A new Medicaid law in Colorado for the first time provides low-income residents with access to alcohol and other drug treatment services.

The Rocky Mountain News reported May 27 that the measure signed into law by Gov. Bill Owens late last month also provides coverage for obesity treatment. Owens said the new law would cut overall Medicaid expenses by improving patient health.

The decision makes Colorado the 48th state to offer addiction-treatment services as part of its Medicaid benefits package.

State House Speaker Andrew Romanoff (D-Denver), who sponsored the addiction bill, said it would help prevent domestic violence, job loss, prison costs, and other social problems. "We spend $1 billion a year on the costs of drug and alcohol abuse -- on prison, on welfare, on emergency care and special education," Romanoff said. "This is going to save a lot of money in the long term."

The Missouri Institute of Mental Health provides the Policy Information Exchange (PIE) as a service to the mental health community.  The Institute places documents into the PIE database that are examples of sound policy research, have high policy relevance, or have been judged to be of special interest to the mental health community. The Institute does not necessarily agree with the policy positions stated in documents in the PIE database.