Addiction Clinic to Motivate Patients With Financial Rewards

WORTH EVERY DOLLAR –

Dec. 20, 2022 – The Kalispell clinic is allowed to use $300,000 of their grant in a 20-week treatment course. During that time, participants could get gift cards or vouchers worth up to $1,966.50.

Patients are able to earn an incentive each week by attending treatment and passing urine tests. The amount they are awarded increases with each success.

These motivational incentives are called contingency management, known to be the only evidence-based intervention for methamphetamine use disorder. Oxytocin was the only clinic in the county approved to use treatment-funded contingency management.

In November, at least one complaint filed with Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services and Department of Justice claimed Oxytocin was committing Medicaid fraud by paying its clients, most of whom are Medicaid recipients.

In 1972, a federal law called the Anti-Kickback Statute made it illegal to give a federal beneficiary, like a Medicaid recipient, something of value to get them to choose a certain provider.

“Safe harbors” were made to keep some government programs from being seen as corrupt, but they don’t usually protect programs like Oxytocin that give incentives to people who use them, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.