The cost of staying high vs. getting clean

By Frank Otto
fotto@pottsmerc.com

For many, the idea of rehabilitation from heroin addiction seems prohibitive.
However, Douglas Albertson, clinic manager of Habit OPCO in Pottstown, said it’s actually more feasible to clean up rather than to continue with addiction.
“The profit margins in the organization could be greater if we charge more, sure,” Albertson said. “But we don’t want people not to be able to access (the clinic).”
Albertson said each patient pays $105 per week to utilize Habit OPCO and all it entails, which not only includes the methadone doses but also group or individual therapy and appointments with doctors and nurses, among other services.
When you break down the cost of having an addiction, according to Albertson, the finances break down in favor of getting clean.
With a bag of heroin costing anywhere from $10 to $20 per day and many addicts needing multiple bags just to stave off withdrawal, costs add up.
Prescription pill opiate addiction can be even worse, with single pills going for $30 to $50.
“If it’s reasonable or affordable, that then becomes an incentive,” said Dr. Greg Pierce, a doctor at the clinic.
“More often than not,” Pierce said insurance companies will pay for the treatment.
“Some private insurance companies won’t pay the clinic directly but will reimburse the patients,” Alberston said.