Maneuvering through the recovery journey can be a taxing experience. Admitting you have an addiction is the first step in the process, requiring extensive soul-searching and introspection.
From there, researching viable treatment facilities and preparing your personal obligations before entering rehab is essential to assimilating into the therapeutic environment, distraction-free.
One big detail not to forget about in your preparation is checking your insurance coverage.
Is drug rehabilitation included in your insurance policy? Do you have to have a specific diagnosis or addiction in order to receive full coverage?
These questions are realistic concerns for anyone requiring a stay in rehab. Understanding your insurance coverage and your rights are critical components to a successful transition into addiction rehab.
So, where do you start? Begin this phase of preparation by delving into your insurance policy and understanding the specific substance use disorder you’re contending with.
Is Drug Rehabilitation Covered by Your Insurance Provider?
It is important to understand the disease concept and how it impacts your stay in rehab. Approximately 40 years ago, substance addiction attained the status of a diagnosable and treatable illness within the U.S. medical community.
This recognition fundamentally shifted how both individuals and insurance carriers classified addiction, and how those struggling with the disease were covered. This enabled society as a whole to stop viewing someone’s compulsion to abuse substances as a mere personality flaw.1
Due to this new progressive view of substance use disorders, new health care laws began classifying addiction treatment as an essential health care benefit that commercial health plans must cover.
This latest perspective displayed by the insurance industry resulted in a tremendous increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for drug and alcohol problems as the healthcare reform measures came into effect.2
Keep in mind that plans will differ between carriers, but by educating yourself on the specific coverage options offered by your insurance provider, you can begin to understand the level of cost-effective and comprehensive addiction treatment support you will receive.
Additional Must-Know Insurance Coverage Information
While your insurance company may not openly advertise their substance addiction coverage, as of now, 43 U.S. states require commercial group health insurers to cover addiction treatment.
The wording in your policy should define a full continuum of addiction care, which includes:
- Detoxification
- Intervention
- Inpatient rehabilitation outpatient treatment
- Intensive outpatient treatment
Start by looking at your health plan and analyzing the sections that discuss substance abuse treatment and coverage.
Policies will also discuss family coverage and codependency treatment, which can assist family members pursuing treatment options for loved ones who may be too overwhelmed in their addiction to properly pursue a treatment intervention alone.3
Alternative Methods of Paying for Rehab
All states currently require commercial group health insurers to cover addiction treatment services as they would any other prescribed medical treatment – with the exception of
Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Idaho, Oklahoma and Wyoming.
Legislation like the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equality Act make it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against individuals because of their specific addiction, but it does not require all insurers to cover every treatment facility and addiction rehab route.
Understandably, navigating all of the applicable insurance laws can be extremely overwhelming and leave you feeling lost and defeated. If you find that your insurance policy won’t afford you the necessary coverage you need, or if you find that you are lacking in coverage entirely, there are alternative ways to pay for addiction treatment.
Working with patient advocacy groups like the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws3 or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration4 can help you learn of other therapeutic funding resources and options.
How to Know if Your Insurance Will Cover Your Stay at Covenant Hills
If you or a loved one has made the decision to pursue drug or alcohol treatment at Covenant Hills, it is imperative to know how your individual insurance policy is worded and laid out in order to identify if we are a covered rehab facility.
One of the best and fastest ways to know if your insurance policy will cover treatment at Covenant Hills is to contact us directly.
Our dedicated admission experts help prospective patients navigate confusing insurance plans and talk them through affordability options.
Christian-Based Addiction Treatment and Relapse Prevention at Covenant Hills
Our world-class treatment team has helped thousands regain their lives, and we are ready to help you now.
To start the process toward a new life in sobriety, contact us today. Every call is completely confidential, and after a quick and free assessment, we will be able to better understand your situation, describe what a treatment program can look like for you or a loved one and help you uncover viable ways to pay for treatment.
At Covenant Hills, it is our upmost mission to meet you wherever you are in your religious and addiction journey and walk with you every step of the way until you reach complete recovery.
We take a Whole Person Approach to drug and alcohol rehab and mental health disorders. We work with every aspect of you to ensure complete care and healing. Above all, we offer a safe place to surrender and connect with God.
Learn more about our Christian-based addiction treatment programs, or contact us for a free and confidential assessment. We are available 24/7.
Resources:
1 Psychology Today. Is Addiction Really a Disease? Accessed November 16, 2018. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-heart-addiction/201112/is-addiction-really-disease.
2 Partnership for Drug Free Kids. Number of People Seeking Addiction Treatment Could Double Under New Health Law. Accessed November 16, 2018. https://drugfree.org/learn/drug-and-alcohol-news/number-of-people-seeking-addiction-treatment-could-double-under-new-health-law/.
3 National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws. Continuum of Addiction Treatment. Accessed November 16, 2018. http://www.namsdl.org/continuum-of-addiction-treatment.cfm.
4 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Addressing the Opioid Crisis. Accessed November 16, 2018. https://www.samhsa.gov/.
