AG warns of addiction treatment scams
Attorney General Maura Healey
Attorney General Maura Healey on Wednesday issued a warning to Massachusetts residents seeking addiction treatment of scams by out-of-state recruiters that leave patients without care.
In a statement from Healey’s office, consumers are advised to take a number of protective measures when considering care at out-of-state facilities. According to Healey, recruiters often use texts or social media to recruit patients to centers in Arizona, California or Florida, offering to pay for airfare and health health insurance to cover the cost of out-of-state treatment.
Healey said there have been reports of many of these centers providing little or no treatment to patients, and of recruiters stopping payment of insurance premiums, resulting in patients being removed from treatment centers and stranded without access to housing, healthcare or the money needed to return home.
“We need to improve access to effective recovery options and make sure that anyone who attempts to profit off of this epidemic or take advantage of families struggling with addiction is held accountable,” Healey said.
Healey advised residents to be wary of unsolicited referrals seeking to arrange out-of-state treatment, which can be a sign recruiters may be collecting kickback fees, which is illegal in Massachusetts.
Residents are warned to be cautious of referral fees and offers of free insurance coverage and providing personal information. They’re also advised to have backup travel plans in cases where recruiters offer to cover travel costs, and to confirm that recruiters are employees of the treatment centers before moving forward with treatment plans.
Residents seeking in-state treatment can find information about reputable treatment services by contacted the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Hotline at 1-800-327-5050. MassHealth patients are asked to contact the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership at 1-800-495-0086.
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