Paying for rehab can be both expensive and stressful. In fact, the burden of payment can often seem to be worse than suffering from the actual addiction itself. Many people that are looking to attend rehab may ask themselves, does insurance cover rehab? This is because such people are looking for some form of financial assistance when it comes to paying for rehab. In fact, without some form of financial assistance, people who need rehab often don’t end up going. This should not be the case though. 

Why does rehab cost so much? Why can’t there be affordable help for people who want to get better? The answer to these questions is complicated. The cost of substance abuse treatment depends on the severity of someone’s addiction, and the level of care required. For example, those who suffer from more severe addictions require residential treatment rather than outpatient treatment. Residential treatment is much more intense and thus, also more expensive than outpatient addiction treatment.

When treatment is unaffordable, it’s frustrating. People that can’t afford addiction treatment often want so badly to get better, and try so hard to do so. Unfortunately, the cost of addiction treatment is often too much to bear. 

Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be the end of the story. There are a plethora of options to help pay for addiction treatment, whether it be health insurance, or something else.

Finding Treatment for Addiction With Insurance

When figuring out how to pay for rehab, one of the most important questions is, does insurance cover rehab? Some health care plans cover most, if not all of one’s substance use disorder treatment; most private health care plans cover a portion of the expenses. If you have private insurance, you should contact them to see what they will cover for your addiction treatment needs.

Knowing where to start when it comes to recovery is one of the most difficult parts of the addiction treatment process. Your health care provider may be able to figure out the specifics of what you qualify for in terms of care. 

Some major healthcare providers include the following forms of insurance:

• United Healthcare
• Cigna
• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield

United Healthcare

Does insurance cover rehab? Well, United Healthcare covers most people’s addiction treatment services, including detox and inpatient treatment. The question is how much coverage a person will have with his or her specific plan; that all depends on the member’s plan and his or her location. 

For individuals who want nothing more than to beat their substance use disorders, it can be difficult to find support. This is why United Healthcare created a United Behavioral Health Division. This particular division allows individuals to receive confidential addiction treatment services and mental health treatment.

Cigna

Cigna is a healthcare company that has been tried and true for a long time now. Their coverage is both affordable and of great quality. This provider also has 86 million global members. Depending on the plan, Cigna covers quite a few services for substance abuse treatment.

Cigna’s behavioral health division provides educational tools and resources for those who want to be treated for their addiction. But what does treatment coverage depend on? Coverage from Cigna for substance use disorder depends greatly upon one’s specific plan. Not only that, but it also has to do with where a person is located.

Aetna

Aetna has helped a plethora of individuals over the years with their health care coverage. This is due in large part to the fact that Aetna takes a more individualized approach to health care treatment. Aetna considers a member’s individual needs to narrow down its options. Ultimately, Aetna cares that a person is getting the help that he or she requires for his or her substance use disorder.

Not only that, but Aetna truly goes the extra mile with its services. For example, it helps those under their wing to find therapeutic and aftercare services close to home. For those who are under Aetna’s care, partial hospitalization, detox, inpatient rehab, and post-recovery care may be a sure thing. However, it is always best to speak with the provider first so that they can evaluate one’s individual needs.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Across the United States, one in three people are covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield, and for good reason. This provider is committed to providing its members with outstanding healthcare coverage. For individuals with substance use disorders, this could mean detox, inpatient care, or partial hospitalization depending on their specific plans.

The Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare)

The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was set into motion in 2010. The beauty of this coverage option is that those who apply for it are not penalized for pre-existing conditions. Therefore, someone who has been battling addiction before he or she was covered can apply for Obamacare without being penalized. 

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes ten essential health care benefits, one of these being substance use disorder treatment. So what does that mean? It means that the policy has to treat a substance use disorder the same way it would any other medical condition.

Recent improvements for addiction and insurance plans are saving lives left and right. This is because the ACA has deemed it necessary to provide coverage for disorders like addiction.

Previously, private healthcare companies have denied access to coverage for those who needed it for their substance abuse behavior. The ACA makes it so that they can act on the behalf of those who are being denied coverage for their substance abuse before it becomes an addiction. 

Medicare and Medicaid

There are specific areas of the population in the United States that have federal or state-sponsored healthcare benefits. There are different payment options and programs for those who need alcohol addiction treatment, but they do require eligibility. For Medicare, a person must be 65 or over, or disabled. To be eligible for a program like Medicaid, you must be:

• Over the age of 65
• Under the age of 19
• Pregnant
• Parenting
• Making a specific amount of money

Private Funding for Rehab 

Recovery for drug and alcohol abuse is expensive; there’s no way around that. Depending on the facility or length of care, you might even be paying more. Not only that, but if someone is uninsured, the cost of rehab can seem insurmountable. As a result, it may be imperative that those seeking treatment find private finance options for their addiction treatment. 

Some treatment facilities offer scholarships for their services. Because of this, it’s best to talk with the admissions office of the facility someone is trying to be admitted to. In some cases, scholarships are either not an option or unavailable. All is not lost, however, as some treatment centers will allow an individual to make payments following their leave. 

Either way you slice it, paying for rehab is difficult. It is, however, not impossible. There are many ways to find treatment for a substance use disorder without being covered. One way could be dipping into a savings account, IRA, or 401k. Not only that, but if your home has equity, you may be able to put a home equity loan towards your rehab.

Fundraising

Fundraising may seem inconvenient, but it is a great way to pay for rehab if you don’t have access to insurance. There are many services like GoFundMe, which would allow an individual to raise money for their substance abuse treatment. There are other options as well such as asking family members for funds. In this case, it would be best if you request that they make the payment directly to the treatment facility. This is so that they know exactly where their money is going. 

State and Government Programs

There are state-run and federally funded programs for substance use disorder. These programs provide public assistance to those who need drug or alcohol addiction treatment. This all depends on the state, however, as most of these programs may either be a separate agency or a larger health department.

To qualify for these, a person could be required to provide proof of citizenship, state residence, severity or length of addiction, or proof of an inability to pay for treatment. The latter could be based on income or other circumstances such as parenting. To get into a program like this, there is often a waitlist.

SAMHSA

More federal addiction treatment funding options are available through block grants with SAMHSA. One of these grants is called the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. This particular grant offers treatment programs for specific areas of the population.

Selling Valuables

Selling valuable items is a hard thing to do, especially if you’re attached to those of significant value. However, getting help for addiction is imperative to long-term sobriety and health. Parting with these items may be necessary if someone is willing to pay good money for them. Some of these items can be sold quickly and easily, and may include the following:

• Art
• Unused furniture
• Digital equipment
• Musical instruments
• Used car
• Used boat
• Sports cards or other memorabilia
• Sports equipment
• Jewelry 
• Unused china

Non-Profit Treatment Centers

Lastly, there are also non-profit treatment centers. These are usually at little or no cost to someone suffering from an addiction. Some programs require no payment. For example, The Salvation Army allows individuals to seek treatment in exchange for 40 hours of work per week. This period lasts six months and is well worth the trade of a six-month treatment free-of-charge.

There are other non-profits for those who are suffering from substance abuse as a teenager. One of these programs is called Teen Challenge. Teen Challenge offers addiction treatment for teenagers at a low cost. It is worth mentioning, however, that the cost of the program varies from location to location.

Affordable Care is Waiting for You Today

Learning how to pay for rehab can be more stressful than the addiction itself; sometimes, however, all you need is the willingness to seek help. Learning how to pay for rehab is entirely possible, even if you’re strapped for cash. Not only is it possible, but the effort you put in to paying for rehab will be more than worth it. To find out more about your payment for addiction treatment options, or to apply, contact Live Free Recovery Services today.