Most people think that the addiction treatment industry aims to provide hope and recovery to those grappling with substance abuse disorder. And for some, it does–it is. But for others, it isn’t about sobriety and wellness at all, quite the opposite. It is all about relapse and greed.
Fortune Business Insights reported that the addiction treatment industry generated $37 billion in 2022 and projects it to reach $60.18 billion by 2029. The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS) states that “Inpatient care in a private facility costs $500 to $650 per day, 60 to 90 day programs range anywhere from $12,000 to $60,000.”
As with most industries, where there is big money to be made and a vulnerable population to exploit, a dark underbelly emerges. In the case of addiction treatment, that underbelly includes “body brokers.” They are individuals, motivated by financial gain, who, instead of betting on sobriety, are going all in on patients needing treatment again and again.
People like Chris Thompson, Founder and CEO of Sober Sidekick and creator of Empathy HealthTech, are working to bring this issue to light. He explains, “A body broker is someone who is financially incentivized per individual they send to a treatment center. The same way stockbrokers are investing in “shorts” for companies, where if the company goes under, they win, these people are shortening human lives and setting themselves up for financial gain when they relapse.” Chris points out that many times, these people can be “wolves in sheeps clothing” meaning they may run a sober living or be a recovery coach, yet their primary revenue stream comes from clients who relapse and keep going back to treatment.
A conflict of interest arises when those brokers and the facilities they operate rely on income from treatment center referrals. So, rather than being invested in the long-term recovery, they are invested in people failing and returning to SUD treatment centers.
Many body brokers are deeply ingrained in a referral network that includes recovery coaches, interventionists, and treatment centers. They might position themselves as people helping patients in recovery, but their primary source of income lies in their referrals from relapsed patients. In some extreme cases, brokers are paid on a “per head” basis, meaning they receive compensation for each person they direct to a treatment center, regardless of the individual’s actual progress or need for treatment. Chris adds, “And it often doesn’t matter if they’re sending the same person repeatedly. That can be equally valuable.”
Chris tells the story of someone he met during his own recovery journey. “I was in a treatment center with a guy who was getting paid by the admissions director to be there. So, we are talking about paying vulnerable people, people with an addiction and alcoholics and incentivizing them to stay sick. It’s just ridiculous. There are local investigations; there are federal level investigations. This is a huge problem.”
Chris explains that the consequences are far-reaching. “When your business depends on people relapsing and coming back to you versus helping people get back on track, that’s a huge problem. And some of the consequences are families who thought that they were sending a loved one to get help, and instead, they have been sucked into a system where their loved one is the product.”
Chris adds that in this current system, “Vulnerable people are the product. And with these types of incentives, there will always be a demand for the next addict or alcoholic who can be used for the profit of this system. It’s a terrible place to be in.”
Chris is not only raising awareness but also working hard to address the crucial gap in addiction recovery. His Sober Sidekick app helps respond to the lack of readily available support for individuals struggling with addiction. He admits that several times during his recovery, he needed someone to talk to; he needed support, but he didn’t have anywhere to turn. Sober Sidekick helps resolve that problem by providing App users 24/7 support from other people like themselves who know their struggles and who are also struggling with recovery. Sober Sidekick users can also track their sobriety, and at the earliest signs of trouble, like potential relapse, overdose, or suicidal thoughts, there is someone to help.
Chris explains, “More people are self-reporting their sobriety on our platform than any other platform that we know of. When people self-report their sobriety, then we have the unique opportunity to be the first to intervene when things go off track or when things appear like they might go off track. So, we’ve been able to build machine learning models that can actually predict which of our members are most likely to relapse in the near future. And then we’re able to get proactive and preventative here. This entire industry is driven by lagging indicators. It’s driven by claims data, it’s driven by hospital trips, and it’s driven by overdoses and deaths.”
In the midst of an addiction treatment industry that is growing at an astonishing rate, along with the prevalence of body brokers cashing in, it can be easy to get disheartened and disengaged. But, like Chris Thompson, we need to be aware and proactive. One in every three people in the United States has a substance abuse disorder. That means this issue is going to affect almost every household in America. So, more positive solutions like Sober Sidekick are the much-needed light on the dark underbelly of this horrific issue.
As authorities continue to investigate and address this problem, it is imperative to be aware of these unethical practices and to seek genuine, ethical treatment for those who need it. Compassion and integrity should guide the addiction recovery journey, not financial exploitation.
If you or a loved one have a substance abuse disorder, visit Sober Sidekick today.