Fighting the Florida Shuffle - by Dave Aronberg & David R Campbell

Book Synopsis

"An unflinching view into the dark side of an industry meant to be the hope of those caught in the grip of addiction..." - Dr. Jay Kuchera, MD, FASAM

Motivated by greed, Purdue Pharma's explosive marketing of its powerful painkiller, OxyContin, helped create the opioid epidemic that kills around 207 people every day in the United States. Many more battle substance use disorders that impact health, happiness, family relations, and jobs. Federal policymakers have responded with laws that require insurance policies to cover drug treatment and classify addiction as a preexisting condition. But what happens when the rehab industry itself is corrupted, leading to the untimely death of individuals in their care?

Fighting the Florida Shuffle is a gripping account of how unscrupulous players have infiltrated the drug treatment industry, and how well-intended, yet naïve policymakers continue to incentivize relapse over recovery. State Attorney Dave Aronberg and MSNBC Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Dave Campbell tell the stories of victims enticed with free plane tickets and other illicit benefits to enter substandard outpatient rehab and live in flophouses masquerading as "sober homes," leaving too often in ambulances and body bags. The authors offer an insiders' perspective from the world of law enforcement and medicine on how corporate malfeasance fueled the rise in opioid overdoses, how families can identify and avoid rehab scams, and how one community fought back to clean up the industry and put the worst offenders behind bars.

Drug treatment has become a thriving enterprise, but the profit motive has lured predators to exploit the vulnerable who seek help. As rogue rehab owners line their pockets through insurance fraud, patient brokering and illegal kickbacks, their victims leave behind grieving families and loved ones, who wonder how the insurance coverage thought to be a lifeline led to increased overdose and premature death.

Review Quotes

"It is imperative to fight corruption in the drug treatment industry to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation that too often turns into human trafficking. Every community needs to heed Palm Beach County's experience in upholding justice and eradicating this evil." - Laura Cusack, Chair, Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches

"In the midst of a heroic group of professionals who treat those suffering from an unprecedented opioid epidemic, there exists another group of people who seize on vulnerability, seeing it as an opportunity for selfish financial gain. Fighting the Florida Shuffle tells a compelling tale of corruption, resilience and recovery, demonstrating a way out of this horrible mess and serving as an inspiration and model for others to follow." - Marvin Ventrell, JD. CEO, National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers

"An unflinching view into the dark side of an industry meant to be the hope of those caught in the grip of addiction. Campbell and Aronberg guide the reader through the Florida treatment landscape with valuable insights into the perils and pitfalls along the way. A must-read for those who would safely journey, not shuffle, our families and communities to recovery." - Dr. Jay Kuchera, MD, FASAM