Amphetamine-related Insurance Claim Lines on the Rise

Private insurance claim lines for amphetamine use, abuse and dependence soared 3,157% from 2007 to 2017, according to a study released Tuesday by FAIR Health, an independent not-for-profit organization that promotes healthcare cost transparency. Amphetamines include medications used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy and obesity. In a news release announcing its findings, FAIR Health noted that the period studied marked the time just before the passage of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Implementation of the parity laws has correlated with a significant uptick in the usage of behavioral healthcare services, FAIR Health president Robin Gelburd noted. Private insurance claim lines for behavioral health diagnoses increased 320%, for example. Among the study’s other findings: Claim lines with diagnoses of use, abuse and dependence during the period studied spiked for barbiturates (2,233%), hallucinogens (2,055%) and cannabis (585%). Claim lines for the following diagnoses also increased: post-traumatic stress disorder (177%), major depressive disorder (172%), bipolar disorder (103%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (65%) and adjustment disorders (65%). The FAIR Health study was based on an analysis of data from more than 27 billion claim records dating back to 2002. FAIR Health published an infographic highlighting its findings, and said it plans to publish a more expansive whitepaper in 2019.