The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services today announced a new campaign featuring Public Service Announcements to raise awareness of the problem of patient brokering and treatment fraud, and to publicize the more than 900 certified addiction treatment programs available in New York State. Patient brokering is a practice in which brokers collect payment from addiction treatment providers outside of New York State, in exchange for referring patients to those programs. Often, the care offered by these out-of-state providers is more expensive and lower quality than care in New York State. This action follows Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s directive to crack down on treatment fraud in New York State. The PSAs will run on radio stations in New York City, Albany, and on Long Island, in both English and Spanish. Both versions of the ad are available here.

“New York is taking unprecedented steps to combat the opioid epidemic and protect and save lives across the State,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the NYS Heroin and Opioid Abuse Task Force. “This Administration is urging individuals to be aware of possible scams and seek help through state-certified treatment programs to ensure safe and reliable services.”

“With more than 900 state-certified treatment programs in our state, New Yorkers suffering from the disease of addiction should seek treatment here first,” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “Governor Cuomo’s ongoing efforts to combat the practice of patient brokering send a strong message that he takes the health of New Yorkers very seriously.”

“We need to ensure that individuals struggling with addiction are receiving safe and dependable services in New York State,” said Senator George Amedore, Chair of the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Committee. “I have supported legislation in the Senate that takes the appropriate steps to prohibit individuals from exploiting families and patients when they are most vulnerable. These public service announcements are a needed step to ensure those suffering from addiction are protected from this predatory behavior.”

“The opioid epidemic has left no region of our state unscathed. Sadly, in the midst of this horrific tragedy, scammers have seen opportunity for exploitation of the most vulnerable,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. “As the sponsor of legislation to prohibit payment for patient referrals in drug treatment centers within our state, I stand behind any effort to shine light on this repugnant practice. In the midst of this growing epidemic, we cannot allow anyone struggling with substance use disorder to be pinballed between predatory conmen and must do all that we can to connect people with treatment tailored to their needs.” 

These PSAs are the latest step in an ongoing campaign aimed at stopping patient brokering in New York State. OASAS recently issued a directive that requires referrals to be delivered by OASAS-certified and -credentialed professionals, who are prohibited from receiving referral fees. New Yorkers can report suspicious activity by calling 1-800-553-5790 or emailing StopTreatmentFraud@oasas.ny.gov.

The campaign started late last year, with a series of posters encouraging people to report patient brokering activities to OASAS. The posters are available for download here and can also be seen at treatment programs across the state.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

Visit CombatAddiction.ny.gov to learn more about the warning signs of addiction, review information on how to get help, and access resources on how to facilitate conversations with loved ones and communities about addiction. For tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing alcohol or drug use, visit the State's Talk2Prevent website.