When a person knows that he or she will need help overcoming his or her alcohol or drug addiction, one of the first factors that impacts his or her possible recovery options concerns money. Many people simply assume they cannot afford the costs of a residential treatment or outpatient program.
As it turns out, addiction care is actually covered by many different healthcare insurance policies. According to HealthCare.gov, all health insurance plans on the HealthCare.gov Marketplace cover mental health and substance abuse services as essential health benefits.
In other words, your drug or alcohol treatment may very well be covered under your existing health insurance policy. HealthCare.gov states that all Marketplace plans must cover behavioral health treatment, mental and behavioral health inpatient services, and substance use disorder treatment.
On top of this, plans must cover pre-existing conditions and spending limits are prohibited. Under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, limits that are imposed cannot be more restrictive than the limits for medical and surgical devices.
Despite these legal protections, some insurance companies will attempt to deny coverage for longer residential stays. In many cases, refusals to cover this treatment had catastrophic consequences for the people attempting to overcome their addictions.
Keep in mind that most healthcare insurance policies do not separate different drugs into categories stating whether specific addictions are covered or not. Instead, any kind of addiction coverage typically applies to all kinds of addictions.
It is not uncommon for many people to wonder whether their healthcare insurance policies cover drug or alcohol treatment. As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes, the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) required health insurers to provide individuals with easy-to-understand summaries of all their benefits, including those relating to mental health.
Some of the types of services that may be covered by a healthcare insurance policy include:
- Detoxification (detox)
- Residential treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Counseling
- Medication relating to treatment
California’s Medicaid program is the California Medical Assistance Program (also known as Medi-Cal or MediCal). The program is available to low-income individuals with incomes below 138 percent of federal poverty level, which is $12,140 for a single person as of January 13, 2018. The poverty level increases based on household size.
Even if you are uninsured, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a National Helpline (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) that is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service. SAMHSA can refer you to your state office responsible for state-funded treatment programs as well as facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid.
Asana Recovery accepts most health insurance plans. If you are unsure whether your policy provides rehabilitation coverage, we can help you determine all the benefits offered by your particular plan.
The best way to seek help for dealing with your addiction is to simply contact Asana Recovery to speak with one of our experienced and compassionate counselors, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call (949) 438-4504 right now to let us help you navigate a complicated insurance policy and start finding the relief that you need.
