The surge of new drug treatment programs in the past few years is undeniable. Indeed, a quick glance at just one statistic encapsulates this dramatic escalation: the healthcare dollars spent in 2015 to treat opioid addiction marked a $414 million increase over dollars spent in 2011.

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, as well as the inclusion of substance use disorder treatment in the Affordable Care Act have substantially expanded the availability of health insurance coverage, thereby making treatment accessible to individuals who previously lacked the resources. This is good news ... isn't it?

This mode of operating owes its name to the fact that it was pioneered in Florida, but it is used in many other states, and it is regarded as illegal.

Yes and no. Greater numbers of individuals getting the help they need is, of course, a cause for celebration. But rapid proliferation of any enterprise -- especially one as complex as drug treatment, and especially when there are problematic gaps between physician care and treatment program care -- leaves the door open for major issues ... in this case, patient safety issues.

The Stone Act (AB848) provides a critical CPOM exception allowing for intervention overlap in certain medical services. Its very existence acknowledges that, in particular circumstances and for specific reasons, collaboration between physician and treatment program protects the patient more than separation does.

But with that said, the Stone Act can be of no use to you or your patients unless you fully understand how and when it excepts the CPOM and how the underlying CPOM is left untouched. And to say these specifics are confusing is an understatement.

Some of the webinar's highlights:

• A look at the remarkable growth of the addiction treatment industry and ensuing patient safety problems -- how has what's come before shaped today's climate?
• What the CPOM means to you and your program or your practice
• A clear understanding of the scope of services for drug and alcohol treatment programs
• A clear understanding of the scope of services for physicians and other licensed health professionals
• The "Rogue Rehabs" Perspective
• The Stone Act and how it provides for "incidental medical services"
• A look at issues ahead as the addiction treatment industry continues to experience inevitable growing pains

Don't let the changing regulations leave you confused about your rights and responsibilities under California law.