Addiction treatment can be life-saving, but it is often inaccessible and unaffordable to those recently released from jail and prison.
Rates of substance use disorder are much higher among those in jails and prisons. Upon release, these individuals also face a significantly higher risk of death from overdose.[1]
Despite the urgent need for treatment, individuals released from jails and prisons are often unable to afford or access care due to a lack of insurance coverage. Medicaid coverage generally stops when a beneficiary is incarcerated. Upon release, it can often take weeks or months to reenroll, leaving people without insurance and unable to access treatment, interrupting any continuity of care.
The Reentry Act would restart benefits for Medicaid-eligible individuals 30 days prior to release. The bill would make it easier for individuals to access needed mental health and addiction treatment, allow for transitions to community-based services, and reduce the risk of overdose following release. In restoring access to health care, the bill would help reduce recidivism and prevent overdose deaths.