The effects of time and money prices on treatment attendance for methadone maintenance clients.

Many methadone maintenance clients are required to visit a clinic daily, so treatment attendance is essential for clients' compliance and treatment effectiveness. Using data derived from a unique survey, this study provides evidence of economic barriers to regular treatment attendance. Hypotheses tested are (1) higher personal costs reduce treatment attendance, and (2) willingness to pay (WTP) provides better time price estimates than wage rates. The findings suggest that both time and money function as rationing devices for methadone maintenance clients. The study finds WTP preferable to wage rate in measuring time price as evaluated by the effects of time price on treatment attendance.