As the United States adjusts to the post-pandemic landscape, addiction treatment providers are navigating a fast-evolving field shaped by new patient demands, persistent policy challenges, and disruptive care delivery models. According to several leading voices in the industry, three major forces—higher acuity patients, behavioral health parity, and prescribing uncertainty—are poised to define the future of addiction care. Together, these forces form the foundation of what we now recognize as Addiction Treatment Trends 2022.
These trends were spotlighted in recent interviews conducted by Behavioral Health Business, offering a closer look at what treatment centers, digital health innovators, and policymakers are facing as the industry continues to adapt.
Rising Patient Volumes and Increasing Acuity
Perhaps the most immediate trend shaping Addiction Treatment Trends 2022 is the sharp increase in both the volume and acuity of patients seeking help for substance use disorders.
Marc Turner, interim CEO of the Gateway Foundation in Chicago, noted that the pandemic caused a significant behavioral shift. “A lot of people who have used substances as part of their coping practices increased their use,” Turner said. “As a result, a lot of people have moved beyond what may be considered misuse into addiction.”
Bob Poznanovich, VP of business development at The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, emphasized that during the height of the pandemic, fears of COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions caused a pause in high-acuity addiction treatment. Those who did eventually seek care were often far sicker than usual.
“As restrictions began to lift, volumes started to normalize,” Poznanovich said, “but the patients were presenting with much more severe cases than before.”
Now, with demand rising and acuity remaining high, treatment centers are expanding their outreach to bring more people into care earlier in their addiction journey. Poznanovich stressed the need to meet patients wherever they are—whether at the onset of substance use or in crisis mode.
This surge in demand is one of the core Addiction Treatment Trends 2022: a sharp increase in dual-diagnosis patients, greater complexity in care, and a broader responsibility for providers to offer accessible, diversified entry points to treatment.
The Long Fight for Behavioral Health Parity
The second defining feature of Addiction Treatment Trends 2022 is the continued struggle for behavioral health parity—ensuring mental health and addiction services receive the same insurance coverage and reimbursement as physical health care.
Despite bipartisan agreement on the need for parity, real enforcement has lagged. Legislative efforts like the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022, which passed the U.S. House in June, could strengthen parity laws—but providers remain skeptical.
Meanwhile, the health insurance industry, represented by AHIP, has taken a more favorable public stance, stating its support for parity following earlier opposition. Even so, many operators are still fighting uphill battles with payers over coverage and reimbursement.
Complicating the issue further is the ongoing legal wrangling over the Wit v. United Behavioral Health case, which originally forced insurers to align coverage decisions with accepted clinical standards. The case was recently overturned, but the possibility of a rehearing—or even a trip to the Supreme Court—remains.
With coverage gaps still in place, real-world parity continues to be an aspiration, not a reality, for many. As a result, improving parity enforcement remains central to Addiction Treatment Trends 2022.
Telehealth Becomes Mainstream—but Faces Regulatory Threats
The pandemic catalyzed telehealth adoption across all sectors of behavioral health, but perhaps nowhere has this shift been more visible than in addiction treatment. Digital-first and hybrid models became essential during lockdowns, and many providers now consider virtual care a permanent component of their service offerings.
Poznanovich noted that Hazelden Betty Ford has heavily invested in digital infrastructure and hybrid care models, allowing them to meet patients’ needs across geographic and technological barriers.
Bicycle Health, a digital opioid use disorder treatment provider, found that patients not only adapted to but preferred telehealth options in 2022. Its VP of marketing, Nate Purpura, stated that telehealth had become the primary means of accessing care for their population.
This shift is a cornerstone of Addiction Treatment Trends 2022, but it’s not without risk. Emergency telehealth waivers enabled by the pandemic are expiring, and some states are considering a rollback of those temporary flexibilities.
Courtney Bearden, a psychiatric nurse practitioner with Iris Telehealth, warned that returning to pre-pandemic restrictions would severely harm patients in rural or underserved areas. She advocated for modernizing state regulations to allow advanced practice providers to work independently and serve more patients efficiently.
Without reforms to telehealth regulations, the addiction treatment sector risks losing a vital tool that has expanded access and engagement during a critical time.
Payers Lean Into Digital Addiction Treatment
Another critical piece of Addiction Treatment Trends 2022 is the increasing involvement of payers in digital care delivery. Major insurers like Cigna’s Evernorth and Empire BlueCross BlueShield have begun integrating digital addiction treatment providers into their networks.
Evernorth’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Doug Nemecek, explained that the pandemic revealed a need for scalable, virtual care solutions. “We now have partners delivering substance use disorder care virtually—and at scale,” he said.
Empire’s addition of providers like Alma, Headway, NOCD, and Ophelia Health further indicates that insurers are embracing digital-first models, particularly for opioid use disorder and other high-need treatment areas.
Still, these partnerships depend on regulatory clarity, especially regarding telehealth prescribing rules and payer reimbursement policies. Without reform, digital innovation may stall, leaving patients without access to crucial treatment services.
Retail Pharmacies: A New Frontier and Barrier
One of the more complex developments among Addiction Treatment Trends 2022 is the growing involvement of retail pharmacies in mental health and addiction services.
Chains like CVS are expanding their in-store services to include behavioral health screenings and tele-mental health access points, potentially creating new opportunities for treatment delivery.
At the same time, large pharmacy chains—Walmart, Walgreens, Costco, and CVS—have also imposed restrictions on filling prescriptions for MAT (medication-assisted treatment). Many cite ongoing uncertainty around how the DEA will regulate telehealth-based prescribing of controlled substances like buprenorphine.
In 2020, the DEA temporarily waived parts of the Ryan Haight Act, allowing providers to prescribe these medications via telehealth. But with no clear long-term policy in place, pharmacies are tightening their rules—especially after a court ruling in Ohio ordered them to pay over $650 million for opioid-related damages.
As Nate Purpura noted, “Mail-order buprenorphine essentially no longer exists,” and many retail pharmacies are erring on the side of caution, leaving patients without consistent access to life-saving medications.
This regulatory ambiguity and logistical bottleneck at the pharmacy level is one of the more troubling aspects of Addiction Treatment Trends 2022, highlighting how policy gaps can directly impact patient care.
Looking Ahead: A Sector in Transition
As the field of addiction treatment enters a new phase of evolution, it is clear that Addiction Treatment Trends 2022 are more than temporary shifts—they reflect deeper structural changes that will define how care is delivered, reimbursed, and accessed in years to come.
From higher-acuity patients and co-occurring mental health disorders to the promise of digital innovation and the battle for parity, the industry is being pulled in multiple directions. Regulatory uncertainty—especially around prescribing practices and telehealth—continues to add layers of complexity.
However, the sector also shows great promise. New technologies, payer engagement, and proactive leadership from treatment organizations are helping to modernize care and reach more people in need.
As Marc Turner of Gateway Foundation described it, the country is settling into a “new world order.” For addiction treatment providers, that means embracing flexibility, advocating for reform, and committing to innovation—all while putting patient care first.
Addiction Treatment Trends 2022 are still unfolding, but one thing is clear: the decisions made today—by policymakers, payers, providers, and pharmacies—will shape the future of recovery for millions.
