Paying For Rehab: Payment Plans And More

Determining how you plan to pay for an addiction treatment program for either yourself or a loved one can be a stressful task.

Drug and alcohol addiction affects millions of Americans. And figuring out how to access and pay for treatment isn’t always simple. Our team understands.

Here you’ll find information on:

• payment options for rehab
• the average cost of addiction rehab
• how to find addiction treatment near you

How Much Does Addiction Treatment Cost?

Addiction treatment costs can vary depending on a wide range of factors, including the treatment provider and type of treatment you’re seeking.

Treatment options for drug and alcohol abuse include:

• inpatient/outpatient detox programs
• inpatient rehab
• residential treatment
• outpatient treatment programs (e.g. partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient)
• substance abuse counseling
• medication-assisted treatment (e.g. methadone maintenance)

Without insurance, many treatment programs can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars —a cost that’s inaccessible for most everyday Americans.

What’s important to know is: You have options.

There are various methods for payment that people with addiction, and their families, can use to help cover the cost of life-saving addiction treatment.

Drug Rehab Payment Options

A drug or alcohol rehab program can be paid for using a variety of payment options.

Some of the most common ways to pay for rehab include:

Health Insurance

If you have health insurance coverage, you may be able to find a rehab program that is eligible for full or partial insurance coverage.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health insurance plans purchased through the marketplace must cover essential health benefits — including treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.

Factors that can affect this coverage include:

• the type of insurance
• the type of healthcare plan you have
• the type of treatment program
• whether you meet eligibility criteria for coverage

Marketplace plans also cannot charge you more or deny you coverage for having a pre-existing condition. That includes drug and alcohol abuse issues.

Learn more about using insurance to pay for rehab.

Public Insurance And Drug Rehab

Many drug rehab centers, including non-profit rehab centers and state-funded rehab centers, accept public insurance options for covering treatment costs.

Common forms of public insurance include:

• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Tricare (i.e. military insurance)
• Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP)
• Veterans Health Administration (CHAMPVA/VA) health plans

Eligibility for public insurance, and available coverage for addiction treatment services, can vary.

Not all ACA policies cover treatment in full. So, it’s best to check with your insurance provider, or look through your policy before starting your treatment to avoid unexpected costs.

Find out how to use Medicaid to pay for drug rehab.

Private Insurance And Drug Rehab

Health insurance through your employer, union, or purchased directly through an insurance provider can also be used to help cover the cost of addiction treatment.

Some major behavioral health insurance providers in the U.S. include:

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

Like with public insurance, such as Medicaid, the actual coverage for various levels of care can differ from one insurance policy to the next.

However, some insurance companies do offer case management services, and other customer assistance options, to help explain coverage under your plan to you.

Self Pay

One pricier option for paying for rehab through a treatment center or individual treatment provider is paying for treatment yourself, via self-pay.

Self-pay may be an option for people who:

• lack health insurance
• need a treatment service that is not covered by their health insurance plan
• do not meet the eligibility criteria for coverage under their health insurance plan
• have not met other requirements for coverage (e.g. deductible or premium requirements)

However, paying for rehab without insurance, or any other form of financial assistance, can be costly. The actual cost will depend on the treatment provider, level of care, and other factors.

Sliding Scale

While not a form of payment in itself, one option for payment offered by some recovery centers is what’s known as a sliding scale.

A sliding scale option, or sliding scale fee, essentially offers a cost estimation based on your annual income. For instance, if you are low-income, treatment costs may be reduced accordingly.

A sliding scale may be particularly helpful for people who have low- or no-income, as well as those who are unemployed or who lack health insurance.

Loans

People who are seeking a way to pay for addiction treatment may have the option of taking out a loan to help cover costs.

Substance abuse treatment loans may be available through your bank, credit union, or be acquired through a specialty financing company.

Interest rates associated with a loan, and requirements for taking out a loan for drug abuse treatment, may vary depending on the lender.

Treatment Scholarship

Scholarships for addiction treatment are available on a limited basis through some non-profit organizations, like the 10,000 Beds Scholarship Program.

Treatment scholarships can help cover treatment costs in part or in full. Scholarship options are generally designed for people who lack health insurance or are experiencing financial hardship.

Crowdfunding

One financing option that’s gained greater momentum in recent years is using crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe to help cover healthcare costs.

Crowdfunding platforms can help families collect money from individuals near and far to help cover the cost of addiction treatment.

What Factors Can Affect The Cost Of Rehab?

Payment options for rehab, including the use of public or private insurance to cover costs, may be contingent upon certain factors.

For instance, factors that can affect health insurance coverage include:

• your insurance provider
• your specific policy
• treatment services covered by your plan
• copay, premium, and deductible requirements
• whether a treatment provider is in-network or out-of-network

Moreover, actual rehab costs can also depend on:

• the treatment facility
• the type of treatment program
• where the treatment center is located
• the quality or scale of the rehab facility
• duration of the rehab program
• which types of treatment services are offered

The best way to get an estimate about how much a treatment program will cost is to contact a treatment center directly, or talk to an insurance specialist.

At FreeRehabCenters.net, we have specialists on stand-by who are available to answer questions about the cost of treatment and how to find treatment near you.

Learn More About Paying For Rehab Today

Call our free and confidential hotline today to learn more about how to pay for rehab, and how to find a free or low-cost rehab program that’s right for you.

Published on March 18, 2022

Written by the Free Rehab Centers Editorial Staff