Drug treatment improves when you pay yourself

[Oscar]

Thisted save millions on drug abuse treatment

The town Thisted discovered that intense out-patient treatment worked much better and was much cheaper if they trained their counselors better. Now drug users will get 3-4 hours intense therapy before they go home again.

It saved them millions and it worked better.

Why now after so many years?

Because they had to pick up the bills themselves. Now every town have to pay for rehab of their citizens instead of letting the state pay. So now they are interested in what works instead of just getting rid of the drug users and ship them off to some far-away rehab.

Interesting but in a way sad that you only care once you have to pay.

[KarenW]

I think this is the way for all health treatments and services. If one always relies on the state or insurance company to cover all the expenses and pay for all of their medicines, then there's no reason to try to save money or find better ways. But once someone is put in the position of paying for all or more of their medical costs, they suddenly take a more active role in finding more effective and more affordable ways of treatments and medicines.