Meth costs rising
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Meth abuse caused facility costs to increase at 56% of hospitals who responded to a recent survey, the National Association of Counties announced Jan. 18. "The Effect of Meth on Hospital Emergency Rooms" was commissioned by the association in late 2005. The survey also finds that 47% of emergency rooms report meth as the top illicit drug involved in presentation at their hospitals, and 73% of hospitals say that meth-related ER presentations have increased over the last five years. Also, 83% of respondents said that patients presenting with a meth-related emergency are "often uninsured." Washington, D.C.-based Research, Inc. conducted the telephone surveys of 200 ERs in 48 states...