Health Insurance Coverage and the Receipt of Specialty Treatment for Substance Use Disorders Among U.S. Adults

Objective: The study examined the association between private health insurance and the receipt of specialty substance use disorder treatment. Methods: Weighted logistic regressions were estimated to examine the association between health insurance and the receipt of any specialty substance use disorder treatment in national samples of nonelderly adults with alcohol abuse or dependence (N=22,778), alcohol dependence (N= 10,104), drug abuse or dependence (N=9,427), and drug dependence (N=6,736). Receipt of any specialty substance abuse treatment was compared among the uninsured and privately insured persons who reported known coverage, no coverage, or unknown coverage for alcohol and drug abuse treatment. Regressions adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, treatment need, criminal justice involvement, and year of survey. Results: Compared with being uninsured, private insurance was associated with greater use of any specialty substance use disorder treatment only among those with alcohol dependence with known coverage for alcohol treatment (p<.05). Conclusions: Private insurance was associated with increased use of specialty treatment among persons with severe alcohol use disorders who knew they had coverage for alcohol abuse treatment.