Going to rehab to enter recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction involves a lot of planning. Chief among the concerns people have about it involves the financial aspect. This leaves many people asking this question: Does insurance cover rehab?
Investigating Your Insurance Coverage
Many insurance plans cover treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Start by consulting any printed material you have that provides the details of your particular insurance coverage. Many insurance websites also provide sections that help their customers understand what treatment they cover and any co-pays that are required.
You can also call the insurance company directly or use any chat system they have available on their website. Be sure to take detailed notes on any information provided to you so you can reference it later on.
Many people feel shy or embarrassed to talk about something as personal as their substance use disorder. Keep in mind that insurance employees have experience in discussing and advising people in relation to a host of medical and psychological conditions. They have likely heard it all before. Being as honest as you can about your addiction and what help you would like to seek enables the insurance company to determine all of your options.
Do Your Own Homework When Possible
While insurance companies can offer you ideas for treatment options you might not have considered before, it can also prove helpful to do some research before contacting them. If you feel limited in your ability to search for information, enlist a trusted family member or friend to help.
Let the person know the goal is to answer the question “Does insurance cover rehab?” but also to gather facts to help get an idea of what treatment plans are available for you.
Search online for rehab that offers sound options for your addiction. While finding a place nearby may be convenient, do not rule out any out-of-area facilities. It can be worth traveling in order to get the best help available for your specific needs.
Types of Treatment Health Insurance May Cover
Many types of treatment for drug and alcohol addiction exist. The first step often involves going into a detoxification program, often referred to as “detox”. This type of program offers medical supervision and often psychological support as well. Patients check into a residential or hospital setting and stay while the initial detox process occurs.
Patients commonly move on to a residential program after completing detox. Once the initial toxins that come from drugs and alcohol have left the body, the work of learning how to live a sober life begins. Residential programs often offer things like individual counseling, group therapy, and medication-assisted treatment.
These programs may also provide different modalities that focus on holistic treatments. These options can include art or music therapy, equine therapy (working with horses), yoga, acupuncture, and massage therapy.
After detox or residential programming, many people opt for sober living houses. In the past, these were sometimes referred to as “halfway houses” but these programs have upgraded a lot since then. Sober living houses provide a homelike setting for patients to test drive their recoveries before returning home.
Sometimes separated into gender-specific housing, sober living programs give patients a place that feels like a home. They often cook, share household duties, and learn basic life skills like paying bills, finding a job, and other challenges related to staying sober in an often challenging world. Being surrounded by people with similar, healthy ideals helps sober living residents set and achieve recovery-related goals.
Even after a person returns home from drug and alcohol addiction treatment, the question of “Does insurance cover rehab?” can still apply. While the rehab process itself is over, many insurance companies offer coverage for treatment that can take place after a person moves back home. The individual may even return to work, school, or other duties and still be able to work on their recovery while enjoying full or partial insurance coverage.
Options for post-rehab addiction treatment include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Medications related to sobriety
- Medications that treat mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Nutritional Counseling
- Treatment for medical conditions caused or exacerbated by addiction
Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company
When talking to someone at your insurance company, it can be easy to forget to ask all the questions you have for them. Create a list of questions ahead of time to help you stay on script. Don’t be shy about asking as many questions as you like. This is your recovery and you have the right to get all the facts. In addition, you pay good money for your insurance and are entitled to be an informed consumer.
Some questions you may want to ask include:
- What amount of financial coverage can you expect for rehab treatment?
- Does the amount that insurance pays differ depending on what type of program you choose?
- If there are out-of-pocket expenses, exactly how much will you be expected to pay?
- Will insurance cover attending more than one type of program, such as detox and a separate residential program?
- Does the company set a limit on how many days you can remain in a program?
- If a longer stay is necessary, will insurance cover any percentage of that?
- What treatment options offered once you return home, such as therapy and medications, will insurance cover?
- If you need to return to a program, will this be covered?
- Does the insurance company have a pre-set list of programs they will cover?
- If you have selected a program that appeals to you, ask if it is covered by your plan
- If the plan you have does not offer adequate coverage, inquire about switching to a different plan that offers more options. Make sure to ask about any cost differences.
Addiction Rehab in California
If you are looking for addiction rehab to help you leave drug and alcohol addiction behind you, California Behavioral Health can help you turn your life around. Does insurance cover rehab here? Yes, many insurance plans offer coverage for our program. We provide individualized plans that include mental health illness management, medication-assisted treatment, and holistic therapies.
Contact our beautiful Palm Spring location today and we will be happy to answer any questions you have about our programs and if your insurance will cover it.
