Does Insurance Cover Drug Rehab?

There are more than 21 million people in the United States who have a substance use disorder. Millions of those individuals are addicted to drugs like opioids, benzodiazepines, cocaine, meth, and prescription drugs like Adderall and sleeping pills. Unfortunately, only about 10% of all individuals with a substance use disorder get treatment for it, as there are many barriers to care. One of the greatest barriers to getting treatment is associated with the cost of rehab. While some people are able to privately pay for their care, others are in no place to afford effective rehab services. This begs the question — “does insurance cover drug rehab”?

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act 

It is no secret that there has been and continues to be great stigma surrounding the disease of addiction. While that stigma has lessened over the years, it still exists. Those who experience medical problems have always been able to rely on their insurance to help cover costs and expand their access to care. However, insurance companies have not always provided the same benefits to those seeking help for mental health conditions or related diseases, including addiction. That is why in 2008, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act was put in place.

The Mental Health Parity and Equity Act is a piece of legislation that is designed to give individuals with insurance as much access to mental health care services as they would get for medical health services. To be more specific, MHPAEA prevents insurance companies from imposing less favorable benefit limitations to those seeking mental health care and coverage as opposed to those seeking medical care and coverage. Thankfully, this has opened up the doors for many people who would have otherwise not been able to get the care they needed to get sober and survive the perils of the disease of addiction. While that gives good insight into people’s rights to utilizing insurance for addiction treatment, it does not fully answer the question of “does insurance cover drug rehab?”. 

Does Insurance Cover Drug Rehab?

Several insurance companies, in light of the Parity Act and other advances in addiction awareness, will offer full or partial coverage for a number of treatment services. These services usually include the following:

• Inpatient treatment
• Outpatient treatment
• Medical detoxification
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Medication maintenance
• Continuing care services such as therapy

When insurance companies say that they offer coverage for these services, it can be a blanket statement. The amount of coverage that an individual receives (if they are even eligible to receive coverage) varies based on the specifics of their plan. Some insurance plans may offer coverage for all of these treatment options, while others offer some or none. It is extremely important to speak with an insurance provider when seeking addiction treatment to make sure that you are fully aware of what your specific plan covers and does not cover.

Additional Ways to Pay for Rehab

If you are able to utilize your insurance to cover your rehab services, then you are well on your way to getting sober and staying that way. If you only receive partial coverage, you may still need to figure out how to pay for the rest of your care. You may turn to family members, a savings account, or develop a repayment plan with your treatment provider. This is not uncommon and often can be done, as insurance will often cover a large portion of service fees. 

If you are not insured or if your insurance plan does not cover the treatment you need, you can consider signing up for the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. There, you will be able to purchase insurance of your choosing for a reasonable rate so that you can begin looking at treatment options that fit your selected plan. This can be a complicated process, so asking for help from a loved one or friend can help make the process of signing up much easier. If you are looking to attend a certain treatment facility, the most beneficial thing you can do is call and ask them if they take Obamacare. While the goal of Obamacare is to provide coverage for whoever, wherever, many health care facilities have historically refused to accept this type of coverage in the past. Calling will help avoid the headache. 

In the event that you are not insured, are not receiving coverage from your insurance company for your care, or unable to acquire Obamacare, you can consider reaching out to loved ones to help cover costs. While this might be uncomfortable to do, you must look at treatment as an investment in your health and wellbeing. Seeking out loans from loved ones or working with a treatment center to develop a repayment plan can be options. 

Drug Rehab in Florida

If you are looking for rehab and are interested in Pearl of the Sea Retreats, reach out to us right now. Not only can we provide you with further information about our programs, but we can also verify your insurance and/or work with you to figure out how to afford treatment.