If you are looking into attending a drug and alcohol treatment center for help with addiction, a common question that many people have is the cost. Alcohol and drug rehab can be expensive if you’re paying out of pocket—which is why having insurance is a viable option.
What if you don’t have insurance, or if your insurance doesn’t cover all the services? How will you know if the treatment center you have chosen accepts your insurance? These are legitimate questions to find out answers to, prior to attending rehab.
What Exactly Does Insurance Cover at Rehab?
What your insurance provider covers for drug and alcohol addiction treatment varies widely from plan to plan. Many providers will pay for a portion of treatment, and some will cover almost all of the costs, while others cover little, or none. In order to safely understand the specifics of your individual plan, call the number on your insurance card and speak with a representative.
The insurance provider can tell you exactly what your plan will cover in the phases of treatment (some may cover detox only and nothing more), how many days they can cover, and what your co-pay portion will look like.
If you can’t get through to an insurance representative, a treatment center admissions person will submit your insurance card to see what your plan covers and the expected co-pay. You will need to supply them with some personal information such as date of birth and home address, and they will get back with you as soon as they can within normal working hours.
Why Can’t a Treatment Center Tell Me What Type of insurance to Buy?
An addiction treatment center cannot advise people what insurance to purchase because it is illegal to do so. (It falls under solicitation and trafficking laws, also called in slang term, “body brokering”). When visiting the drug and alcohol rehab’s website you should be able to see a list of insurance companies they work with. If the insurance you have happens to not be listed on the website, a quick call to the admissions person will enable you to find out about the plan.
An admissions representative will also be able to help you with any questions that may arise, such as:
- Does my insurance cover all phases of drug and alcohol treatment: detox, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient?
- Does my insurance cover medications that may be prescribed and if so, what are they?
- Does my insurance cover any outside specialists that I may need during treatment?
How to go to Treatment Without Insurance
If you have no insurance, your options may be more limited, but it is not impossible to get treatment. Try not to get discouraged and stay patient in the process.
- There are state funded resources which offer treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, but there can be a long waiting list. Calling in daily to see if a space has become available will increase the chances of getting in the treatment center sooner.
- There are times throughout the year where private insurance companies have open enrollment, and you can try and get a policy that covers treatment.
- Paying out of pocket can cost several thousand dollars, though most facilities will negotiate a price with you that makes it affordable.
- Ask the rehab if you can pay on a sliding scale or make a payment plan. There are also scholarships and grants available that can help pay.
- Borrowing money privately, on a crowdsourcing site or apply for a loan are addition options.
What are the Functions of Insurance Agents and Brokers?
Insurance agents and brokers are people who work between the buyer (you) and the insurance companies. An agent is a person who is the representative for more than one insurance company, while a broker is designed to assist the buyer. Brokers are there to help you find the most appropriate insurance plan that covers your needs at a reasonable price. Brokers need to be licensed to sell insurance and fully understand the policies and regulations of the state they work in. A broker is to never promise the insurance buyer any incentives—such as rewards for going into treatment for drugs and alcohol. This is highly illegal and should be reported.
The Cost of Not Going to Rehab
When looking at the price of alcohol and drug rehab in florida verses the overwhelming cost of continued substance abuse—there is no comparison. The toll that it takes on family and friends, health, well-being, and quality of life, is exponentially greater than the monetary price of getting addiction help that lasts.
There are several groups around the world that support abstinence, but many times people need more than a meeting. With insurance, people seeking recovery are fortunate to have options that will help pay for treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.
Don’t let the fear of finances deter you from saving your life.
Call Spring Gardens at (866) 244-9556 to discuss your options.
