Broken (health) Care of Every Kind

Today's edition of the Washington Post has a Mother's powerful story about her daughter's battle with a heroin addiction. The story sheds light on the (wrong) assumption of many Americans that help for substance abuse is available, should we or our loved ones ever need it. The truth is much different. Care is available for those with the right insurance (though with the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act, insurance companies will be required to cover necessary treatments as the cover other medical treatments), who end up at the right facility under the right circumstances. For example, prisoners receive addiction treatment before those who haven't committed crimes at many community health centers. The story is a tragic reminder that though the medical expertise is available to help those in dire need, insurance companies and one's socioeconomic standing are preventing many Americans from getting the help they need in order to return to their communities as productive members of society.