KQED's Forum Shoshana Walter’s ‘Rehab’ Finds Corruption, Profiteering and Dismal Rates of Recovery In America’s Drug Treatment System
Aug 11, 2025
Shoshana Walter, an investigative reporter with The Marshall Project, uncovers the dark side of America's drug treatment industry in her book 'Rehab: An American Scandal'. She discusses how many rehab programs exploit patients for profit, often keeping them trapped in addiction. Walter shares harrowing personal stories revealing systemic corruption and the barriers that hinder recovery—especially for marginalized communities. She also contrasts the U.S. approach with more effective practices in countries like France, highlighting critical pathways for recovery.
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Short Detoxes Raise Overdose Risk
- Completing a 30-day inpatient program can raise the risk of overdose the year after treatment compared with not finishing.
- Short, unsupported stays lower tolerance and leave patients vulnerable to relapse and death.
Insurance-Funded 'Cycler' Business Model
- Some treatment companies intentionally cycle insured patients through 30-day stays to maximize billing.
- Staffers even call relapsed patients and re-enroll those with the best insurance as part of a profit model.
Patients Forced Into Unpaid Poultry Labor
- Shoshana Walter found rehab participants were sent to work unpaid at chicken processing plants that made mainstream brands' products.
- Programs used unpaid labor as treatment while offering minimal counseling and no real pay.
