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Time Magazine
28-05-2025
- Health
- Time Magazine
For Those Facing Addiction, Medicaid Is a Lifeline—Not a Luxury
The fluorescent lights of the intake office hummed on Thanksgiving Eve in 2014, a stark contrast to the chaotic darkness I'd been living in. I was terrified, exhausted, and sick of myself. My addiction had stripped away everything: my career, my home, my dignity. I was at the absolute bottom, a place where the idea of work was not just impossible, but utterly irrelevant. My only focus was survival, and that meant finding a way out of the hell of active heroin addiction. Beyond the addiction itself, I was suffering from unresolved trauma, and with my substance use came untreated mental health challenges, including severe depression and at times suicidal ideations. A power greater than myself helped me find recovery—but so did Medicaid. It was my lifeline, the one thing that stood between me and a death I felt was inevitable. Now, as Congress debates sweeping Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' I see that lifeline being severed for millions of Americans struggling with addiction and mental health challenges. This isn't just about budget lines; it's about lives. It's about reversing the hard-won progress we've made in the fight against the overdose crisis, and condemning countless vulnerable individuals to a fate I barely escaped. In the depths of my addiction, I was unemployable. The idea of holding down a job, showing up consistently, or even performing basic tasks was a cruel joke. My days were consumed by the relentless pursuit of the next fix, driven by a physical and psychological dependence that overshadowed all else. When I finally found a bed in a treatment center, it was Medicaid that covered the cost. Without it, I would have been left to die on the streets, another statistic in a crisis that already claims far too many. Here is the stark reality: Medicaid is the single largest payer for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services in the United States. It covers nearly 40% of all adults with SUD. This isn't a minor player; it's the backbone of our nation's addiction and mental health treatment infrastructure. When we talk about cutting Medicaid, we're talking about dismantling this critical support system. While the House of Representatives has made an exemption for individuals with substance use disorders from work requirements in the bill, there are dangerous nuances in the proposed changes. The bill still threatens to rip away healthcare from people with mental health challenges, without recognizing the critical link between substance use disorder and mental health. These are often co-occurring disorders, and denying care for one inevitably impacts the other. Taking away mental health care and essential healthcare services from low-income populations puts an already vulnerable group at a significantly higher risk for addiction. We've learned from the so-called "diseases of despair" that without adequate mental health care, individuals will often turn to illicit substances to cope, putting them at a higher risk of overdose. The idea that these cuts will somehow incentivize people to enter the workforce is a dangerous fantasy. Access to treatment is not a reward for being "ready" or "worthy"; it is a fundamental human right and a public health imperative. When people are denied access to care, they don't magically get better. They get sicker. They cycle through emergency rooms, jails, and homelessness, costing taxpayers far more in the long run. . Economists estimate the total cost of opioid use disorder in the United States reached $4 trillion in 2024. Investing in treatment through programs like Medicaid is not an expense; it's an investment in a healthier, more productive society. The estimated $280 billion in savings over six years that the CBO projects from Medicaid changes will be dwarfed by the increased costs to the government in emergency services, incarceration, and lost productivity. We are at a critical juncture in the overdose crisis. After years of escalating deaths, we've begun to see glimmers of hope, thanks in part to expanded access to treatment. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. significantly decreased in 2024, marking the largest one-year decline ever recorded, a testament to the power of comprehensive approaches that include accessible healthcare. To reverse course now, to pull the rug out from under those who are fighting for their lives, would be an act of profound negligence. It would destroy lives and undo the fragile progress we've painstakingly made. While the House package has passed, it is now time for the Senate to do the responsible thing and ensure millions of Americans aren't left in harm's way with no access to doctors, emergency rooms, or treatment. I want to imagine a world where people are allowed to live despite our struggles. Where we're not shunned as criminals or treated like lepers. I imagine us as valued citizens who are part of society. My own journey to recovery was paved by the grace of a higher power, but also by the practical, tangible support of Medicaid. It allowed me to get the treatment I needed, to heal, and to rebuild a life I thought was lost forever. Congress has a choice: To continue down a path that will inevitably lead to more suffering and death, or to embrace compassion, evidence-based policy, and the understanding that for millions, Medicaid isn't a luxury—it's a lifeline.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Guns allegedly made with 3D printer, drugs seized during Santa Rosa arrest
(KRON) — A 34-year-old man from Santa Rosa was arrested on April 11 for allegedly making numerous 3D-printed guns and drug possession, Santa Rosa Police say. Suspect Michael McGarvey was pulled over by Santa Rosa Police Department Special Enforcement Team officers at approximately 9:04 a.m. Friday. Officers determined that McGarvey was on probation out of Sonoma County and proceeded to search his black Honda Civic. During the search, officers found a secret compartment containing suspected narcotics. 'The officers conducted a search of the vehicle based on McGarvey's probation terms and found a hidden compartment behind the driver's door panel where they discovered approximately 2.5 grams of a suspected narcotic,' SRPD said. New images released in deadly Thanksgiving Eve Piedmont Cybertruck crash Following the traffic stop, officers searched McGarvey's home on the 2400 block of Dayton Street in Santa Rosa. During the search, officers found two 3D printers that were allegedly used to make at least six guns found inside the home. 'The officers located 6 firearm precursor parts along with a 3D-printed unconventional .22-caliber pistol, which did not have any serial number or a rifled barrel,' SRPD said. 'The [firearm precursor parts] and unconventional pistol were concealed in a zippered chair cushion near the 3D printer.' California law prohibits the use of 3D printers to manufacture guns or gun parts without a firearm manufacturing license. McGarvey was booked into the Sonoma County Jail for multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including possession of an unconventional pistol, six firearm precursory parts, the use of a 3D printer to manufacture gun parts, drug possession and probation violation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
New images released in deadly Thanksgiving Eve Piedmont Cybertruck crash
(KRON) — There are new details on the deadly Thanksgiving Eve Cybertruck crash in Piedmont. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has released videos and pictures from the scene where three young people died. Witness of triple fatal Piedmont Cybertruck crash describes what happened Moments before the crash on Nov. 27, videos provided by CHP show the Cybertruck speeding in a residential neighborhood in Piedmont. A flash of light fills the screen, showing the moment of impact into the tree igniting a fire. The CHP report determined that the driver, Soren Dixon, was unable to handle the curve of the road, crossing lanes on Hampton Road and swerving into the tree. Soren Dixon, 19, Jack Nelson, 20, and Krysta Tsukahara, 19, all died from smoke inhalation and severe burns. According to CHP's investigation, a witness — a friend of the college students — was in a car behind the victims. He recalls their night leading up to the crash, attending a party nearby and then stopping at the driver's home to pick up the Cybertruck. Piedmont Cybertruck crash driver was driving at 'high rate of speed,' under the influence, said CHP 'He stopped and took off,' the witness told officers at the scene. 'I don't remember how fast he was going. The Uber in front of me stopped at the sign and turned left; I continued straight. I stopped at Hampton and Seaview and when I turned the corner, I saw a car on fire wedged between a wall and a tree. I instantly knew by the tail it was the Cybertruck.' A fourth person in the car, identified as Jordan Miller, was taken to a nearby home after being rescued from the burning car. The person who saved him used a tree branch to break the window. 'I attempted to punch the window to no avail,' the witness said. 'I then looked around and grabbed a branch, 4-5 ft long and 1/3 foot in diameter. I used it to bash the window, it took 10 – 15 hits of the window to crack completely and the top right corner to pop out of its frame.' 'He was barely conscious, only moaning and groaning,' continued the witness. 'He had his seatbelt on, and I couldn't reach it, so I scream at him to undo it. Eventually he was able to unbuckle, and I was able to pull him up and out of the window. I was able to break and pull the window from its frame. But once I got in, the fire had made its way throughout the entire car to the point where I couldn't even stand by the car.' CHP photos show the devastating aftermath — the truck is mangled with a tree sticking through the smashed hood of the car. CHP confirms a combination of alcohol, drugs, and high speeds caused the driver to lose control and crash into the tree. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
