Senator Cortese Introduces Bill to Advance Addiction Recovery Treatment

Today, Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) introduced a bill to ensure access to critical treatment for those in need of substance use disorder and addiction recovery services. SB 999, titled the California Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Patient Safety and Fairness Act, will advance the way California deals with addiction recovery.

As highlighted in a viral story from 60-Minutes, health insurance companies often discharge patients from residential treatment early and over the objections of qualified physicians who warn that these patients may relapse, which can, in many cases, lead to their death.

For far too long the addiction treatment industry has been plagued by peer-to-peer utilization reviews ordered by health plans and disability insurers that can arbitrarily deny additional medically necessary and generally accepted standards of treatment for patients; treatment they need to fully recover.

“SB 999 will save lives,” said Senator Cortese. “California law requires that insurance companies cover treatment for addiction recovery, yet many are still denied the critical services they need to survive.”

He added, “We must remove the financial incentives that exist for health plans to deny patients’ life-saving treatment.”

SB 999 will ensure Californians suffering from substance use disorders and addiction are able to receive treatment that is consistent with criteria developed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), safeguard patient access to timely review decisions, and prohibit incentive-based treatment decisions.

"Denials, delays, and overriding treatment decisions for substance use disorder services cost Californians in terms of their health, family functioning, employment productivity, and sadly for some, their lives," said Pete Nielsen, President and CEO at the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals.

He added, "SB 999 will give Californians medically appropriate access to services they are entitled to under their plans." 

Sergei Vidov, Chief Executive Officer of Summit Estate Recovery Center in Senate District 15 said, “Residential substance use disorder facilities like ours, up and down the state of California, are finding it nearly impossible to provide our clients the meaningful tools they need to achieve and sustain long term sobriety. It is critical that our clients be able to focus on their disease in a safe environment and get back to a productive life in the workplace and restore healthy relationships with their friends and family. We at the Summit Estate Recovery Center join our colleagues throughout the state and our thousands of clients, in thanking Senator Cortese for standing up to these unfair insurance company practices and giving Californians suffering from addiction the hope they need to recover.”

Supporters of SB 999 include Summit Estate Recovery Center (Sponsor), the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (Cosponsor), LifeSync, and PCI Westlake Village.