Becker Business Podcast: Meggan Bushee of Crossroads Treatment Centers on Leadership & Substance Use Treatment

Episode Date: October 5, 2025

Host: Scott Becker
Guest: Meggan Bushee (General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Crossroads Treatment Centers)
Location: Live from the McGuire Woods Charlotte Growth and Operations Conference

Overview

In this episode, Scott Becker sits down with Meggan Bushee, a legal and business leader, to discuss her journey from law school valedictorian to general counsel at Crossroads Treatment Centers. The conversation dives into trends and challenges within substance use treatment, especially for Medicaid populations, the evolution of value-based care, and Meggan’s philosophy of patient-focused leadership. The discussion also touches on the opioid epidemic, innovations in access to care, and advice for emerging leaders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction and Career Journey

• [00:00–01:30]
  Meggan introduces herself, including her education and career milestones—starting at McGuire Woods, serving in compliance at an ASC company in Texas, and currently at Crossroads Treatment Centers, a leader in behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) care.
  • Crossroads treats about 25,000 individuals daily, across nine states, focusing on heavily impacted and largely Medicaid-served populations.

Academic Motivation and Achievements

• [01:31–02:57]
  Meggan discusses her academic drive, graduating valedictorian from Wake Forest Law, and attending college on a full scholarship.
  • “I think you work harder when you're paying for it as you go and you're aware of the debt you will come out with.” (B, 01:55)
  • The experience opened opportunities at top law firms and set the tone for her career.

Trends and Challenges in Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Reimbursement

• [02:57–05:46]
  Scott solicits Meggan’s perspective on the SUD landscape and reimbursement dynamics:
  • SUD as a rapidly evolving field, only recently covered with dedicated payer reimbursement codes.
  • High cost to payers; 85% of Crossroads’ patients are on Medicaid, and 75% interact solely with SUD providers.
  • Value-based care contracts are emerging, helping to align provider and payer interests.
  • Imminent Medicaid program cuts and federal legislation will significantly affect the landscape by 2028.
  • “It's unique for the payers because this is their highest cost patient population... they're also a costly patient population to take care of.” (B, 03:41)

Addressing Social Determinants and Integrated Care

• [05:46–07:20]
  Meggan underscores that treating addiction alone isn’t enough—the vast majority of patients face mental health challenges and social determinants such as housing and food insecurity.
  • Crossroads advocates for the involvement of community health workers and peers with lived experience on care teams.
  • “If you can't help them settle those issues, they don't really have the time to focus on their healthcare needs.” (B, 06:22)

Innovation in Care Delivery: Mobile Clinics and Rural Access

• [08:01–09:16]
  Expansion plans at Crossroads include mobile and virtual healthcare to extend reach, especially in rural areas:
  • Launching a mobile methadone clinic in North Carolina, enabled by progressive payer partnerships and state licensure.
  • “One great example... we're going to launch our first ever mobile methadone clinic... it will have three stops a day.” (B, 08:01)
  • Innovative responses to geographic and logistical barriers, catalyzed by disaster relief grants and the unique needs of mountainous regions.

The Evolving Opioid Crisis

• [09:16–10:44]
  Discussion about the ongoing opioid epidemic:
  • Prevalence remains high; deaths related to opioids may have stabilized or declined due to factors like Narcan availability, but addiction rates continue to rise.
  • “It's impacting more and more people every year, not less. And the drugs that are driving the addiction are evolving.” (B, 09:35)
  • Increased survival from overdoses shifts the focus to long-term patient management.

Insights from a Diverse Healthcare Career

• [10:44–12:10]
  Meggan reflects on her experience across healthcare sectors:
  • Patient populations and their needs are highly variable across states and care settings, even within the same specialty.
  • At Crossroads, patient outcomes—not just operations—drive success.
  • “If we do right by them, we'll be successful as a company.” (B, 11:52)

Patient Spectrum and Behavioral Health Realities

• [12:10–13:11]
  Not all patients come voluntarily; many are referred or mandated by the criminal justice system or family members.
  • “Some of the patients are there involuntarily... that's how they avoided a sentence.” (B, 12:53)

Leadership Advice and Professional Fulfillment

• [13:11–14:14]
  Advice for emerging leaders:
  • Find passion in your work—skills will follow if you love what you do.
  • “As long as you wake up every day and have a passion and want to be there. I think people feel that, that you lead then.” (B, 14:04)

Perspective on Family and Career for the Next Generation

• [14:14–15:52]
  Meggan shares how her experiences have influenced her parenting approach:
  • Let children develop their own passions, rather than enforcing narrow expectations.
  • “If they, like, want to wake up and, like, go be an art teacher, I'm like, great, let's take our class.” (B, 15:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On treating substance use disorder holistically:
  “You can't just treat the addiction. Most of our patients also have some form of mental health that you have to address as well... If you can't help them settle those issues, they don't really have the time to focus on their healthcare needs.” (B, 06:15–06:22)

• On the impact of social determinants:
  “If someone is struggling with SUD, but you’re not helping them find housing, stable job, food sources, it’s just not going to be a priority.” (B, 07:06)

• On the value of passion in leadership:
  “As long as you wake up every day and have a passion and want to be there, I think people feel that, that you lead then. They know you enjoy your job. It helps them enjoy their job every day as well.” (B, 14:04)

• On the opioid epidemic’s evolution:
  “The drugs that are driving the addiction are evolving. We're having all of these kind of man made substances hit the streets and it's hard for the medicine to keep pace with the evolution of the drug market.” (B, 09:35)

• On healthcare business lessons:
  “No healthcare areas alike... Every patient population is different. Even if you're a multistate healthcare operator, you could be within the same specialty, but your patient populations, their needs and how to access them are going to vary by state.” (B, 11:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:35 – Meggan’s career intro and Crossroads’ mission
• 01:55 – Academic journey and drive
• 03:41 – Payer landscape and challenges in SUD treatment
• 06:15 – Integrating care for mental health and social needs
• 08:01 – Expansion into mobile methadone clinics
• 09:35 – State of the opioid epidemic and drug evolution
• 11:14 – Diverse healthcare lessons and patient focus
• 13:28 – Leadership advice: follow your passion
• 15:09 – Parenting, expectations, and letting kids follow their passions

Tone and Style

The conversation is candid, practical, and centered on empathy, with Meggan Busshee demonstrating humility and a deep commitment to patient-centered care. Both speakers strike a balance between business pragmatism and heartfelt advocacy for vulnerable populations.

Summary

This episode offers deep insights into leading behavioral health organizations and advancing substance use treatment in America’s most vulnerable communities. Bushee’s approach is holistic—addressing addiction, co-occurring mental health needs, and social determinants—in an ever-evolving regulatory and reimbursement landscape. Her emphasis on passion-driven leadership, innovation in care delivery, and the importance of acknowledging each patient’s unique journey is both inspiring and instructive for healthcare operators, leaders, and aspiring professionals.