Drug treatment, especially during inpatient rehab or detox, can be expensive. However, your insurance will most likely cover some or all of the costs of drug treatment. Even if your insurance does not cover all of the expenses, you might be eligible for financial assistance, scholarships, or other payment options to get the substance abuse treatment that you need.
The Costs of Drug Treatment
Many people worry about the costs of going to drug rehab. Most inpatient drug treatment programs last anywhere from 30 to 90 days. The price can add up quickly when you consider paying for professional staff, clinicians, meals, amenities, therapy sessions, medications, and other costs.
However, you should also consider the costs of not going to treatment. If you continue to use drugs, you might incur more significant financial losses than you will from getting help. For example, you might lose your job if your employer mandates a drug-free program. You might also have legal issues from possessing and using illicit substances. In addition, you might develop physical health issues from drugs that can require expensive treatments and therapies.
While rehab might be expensive, the cost of continued drug use can add up throughout your lifetime. Drug abuse also impacts your social wellbeing and relationships in your life. Overall, you can be depriving yourself of a higher quality of life if you do not begin treating your addiction.
Health Insurance and Drug Treatment
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) changed how substance use disorders (SUD) were handled by insurance carriers. The ACA required that insurance companies cover drug treatment services, which can include long-term, inpatient rehab.
According to the American Journal of Public Health, The ACA provides greater access to SUD treatment through major coverage expansions, regulatory changes requiring coverage of SUD treatments in existing insurance plans, and requirements for SUD treatments to be offered on par with medical and surgical procedures.
While your health insurance carrier might provide varying degrees of coverage, most insurances will cover the costs of medical detox services. Medical detox is the first stage of drug treatment, where you can safely detox from the effects of drugs. During medical detox, you will experience withdrawal symptoms in a safe environment with medical staff available 24/7. Detox from drugs usually takes about one week of inpatient services.
What Does Insurance Cover for Drug Treatment?
Before going to drug treatment, make sure that you have a plan to cover the costs. You wouldn’t want to be surprised by an unexpected bill after receiving services. You can ensure that drug treatment will not be an overwhelming financial burden by planning ahead of time.
The following tips can help you or a loved one when seeking insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment:
- Get a referral from your primary care physician (PCP), psychiatrist, or other trusted medical professional.
- Insurance carriers are more likely to pay for costs when a healthcare provider makes a referral for drug treatment as an essential part of your health and well-being.
- Speak honestly with your healthcare provider about how drug abuse impacts your life and your concerns about detox.
- Call your insurance carrier for a list of drug treatment providers and services.
- You want to make sure that your insurance company covers the treatment center you plan to attend.
- If you need to go out of your network for the services you need, talk to your insurance carrier about out-of-network costs or copayments.
- Consider your aftercare plan following inpatient detox and drug rehab.
- If you are in the first steps of recovery from drug abuse, you will most likely need detox and possibly residential drug treatment.
- After you leave an inpatient facility, you might want to continue with different types of outpatient services.
- Find out if your carrier covers the costs of outpatient services, like partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), or other forms of outpatient therapy.
- Ask about coverage for alternative or holistic treatments.
- Some insurance carriers might help you pay for alternative and holistic forms of treatment.
- These might include things like massage therapy, yoga classes, acupuncture, or nutritional counseling.
Even if your carrier doesn’t pay for all of the drug treatment costs, you can still check with your prospective treatment center for information on scholarships, financial aid, or payment options to lessen your financial burden.
Can I Afford Drug Treatment Without Insurance?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Because drug abuse and addiction are major public health problems, a large portion of drug treatment is funded by local, State, and Federal governments. Your state might have publicly funded or subsidized drug treatment options available if you don’t have insurance or your carrier does not pay for the type of treatment you need.
Residents of Tennessee can contact the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to find more information on affordable substance abuse treatment options.
Drug Treatment in Nashville
Drug treatment can be expensive, and you deserve to get the treatment you need without worrying about the costs. If you need drug treatment or medical detox, Brentwood Springs Detox of Nashville, TN, is here to help you or your loved one. Call us today or contact our admissions office to inquire about insurance coverage and payment options.
