Substance Abuse and Overdose Statistics in Lancaster, PA
Substance abuse reports compiled by the CDC and the Pennsylvania Department of Health highlight the following drug- and alcohol-use statistics for the city of Lancaster and Lancaster County:
Lancaster County recorded an 85% increase in drug-induced deaths from 2015 to 2020.
Nearly 19% of Lancaster adult residents say they engage in binge drinking regularly.
From 2017 to 2020, alcohol-induced deaths in Lancaster County rose by 191%.
In 2021, 131 Lancaster County residents lost their lives to a drug overdose.
In 2021, nearly 92% of overdose deaths in Lancaster County involved opioids, roughly 22% involved stimulants, and nearly 5% involved benzodiazepines.
Of all Lancaster County’s opioid-related deaths in 2021, 85% involved fentanyl.
From 2017 to 2021, opioid-involved fatalities in Lancaster County rose by 23%.
How to Pay for Addiction Treatment in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Private Insurance
Insurance providers must cover substance abuse and mental health treatment services to some extent. However, specific coverage varies by plan, so Pennsylvania residents must contact their providers to confirm how much and which treatments are covered by their plan.
Pennsylvania Medicaid
Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, Medical Assistance (MA), provides health insurance to low-income residents. It covers treatment services like inpatient drug rehab and outpatient substance abuse treatment. To qualify, residents typically are required to provide proof of income. Additionally, to use MA to pay for rehab, the facility must accept MA as a method of payment.
Pennsylvania Medicare
Pennsylvania Medicare is a federal program providing healthcare coverage to residents over the age of 65 as well as those with certain health conditions or disabilities. Pennsylvanians can use Medicare to cover the cost of drug addiction treatment services, including rehab. However, not all rehabs accept Medicare insurance.
TRICARE in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania TRICARE (East region) is a government program that provides health insurance coverage for military personnel, veterans, and their families. TRICARE coverage includes addiction treatment services; however, specific coverage varies by plan.
Sliding Scale Rehabs
Sliding scale rehabs charge only what a resident can reasonably afford to pay, based on their income. To qualify for a sliding scale rehab in Pennsylvania, residents must provide proof of income.
IHS-Funded Drug Rehabs
Drug rehabs funded by the Indian Health Service (IHS) provide free addiction treatment to Alaskan Natives and Native Americans.
Resources
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (2022). Opioid Data Dashboard, Annual Estimated Unique Individuals with Drug Use Disorder.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. CDC Wonder Online Database. (2021). Underlying Cause of Death, 1999-2020 Results, Deaths occurring through 2020.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, Place Data 2022 Release.
- Pennsylvania Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention. (2022, October 21). Fatal and Non-Fatal Drug Overdose Surveillance, Interactive Data Report.