(NEWS CENTER Maine) -- The cost to use naloxone to help save a person who is overdosing does not only fall on the patient.
Some claim naloxone, or the brand name "NARCAN," is free. That's not entirely true.
First responders frequently use NARCAN, a nasal spray version of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, which blocks the brain's response to the opioid the patient has taken. That service is not free, though.
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"We're not here to pass judgment. We're here to save lives," said Westbrook Fire Chief Andy Turcotte. "A lot of the patients we end up giving NARCAN to refuse further treatment and or transport to the hospital, so a lot of times we're not receiving payment for NARCAN delivery."
If first responders take the patient to the hospital, first responders can bill both public and private insurances.
If the patient refuses transport, first responders can only bill private insurance. Public insurance companies will not pay the entire cost, leaving the patient with a bill.
Then there are some people with no insurance at all. If they don't pay, the cost of saving their lives becomes a debt to the city, and ultimately, the taxpayers. However, there are payment plans that can be set up, and if a person's income falls below a certain level, the patient's care may be "written off" by the city, according to Chief Turcotte.
While first responders get the materials for a discount, purchasing those materials is another cost that goes into the city budget.
Milestone Recovery executive director Bob Fowler said the detox facility receives free naloxone autoinjectors through grants. They often give them out to people in the community who may know someone who is likely to overdose.
"Everybody is somebody's son or daughter. Having this life-saving medication available is extremely important," said Fowler.
So while some people do have free forms of naloxone in their hands, it is intended to save the lives of others. Those receiving naloxone sometimes have to pay.
Chief Turcotte said the city sees more than 100 overdoses a year, but the Fire Department only uses NARCAN about 50 to 60 times a year, because often times a police officer or bystander has already administered it when EMTs arrive.
"We really need to work on finding resources and making sure that individuals get treatment," said Turcotte.
Some schools in Maine have NARCAN kits on campus. Adapt Pharma, which manufactures NARCAN, could not release the names of the schools, but says three colleges/universities, and five high schools have the kits on campus.