The governor of Pennsylvania says his administration has heard numerous stories of addicts whose treatment has been hindered due to lack of information. The administration contends that insurance companies aren't able to get the information they need in order to approve payment for necessary treatment.

"'We have a system where one (service) provider is not allowed to talk to another,' Health Secretary Dr. Calvin Johnson said. 'The system is not working in the best interest of the client.' The administration's proposed solution, a set of Health Department rule changes undergoing a lengthy review, is to provide a wider range of information to insurers, governments and other entities that pay for health care."

Some critics of the proposed changes, however, worry that increased sharing of information could violate client confidentiality rules and stop some addicts from seeking treatment. Read more at PhillyBurbs.com.

Labels: addicts, insurance, treatment