Health Insurance that Covers Substance Abuse

Understanding the Affordable Care Act and Mental Health Parity

Thanks to two important pieces of legislation pertaining to health care, The Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Mental Health Parity Act of 2008, the odds that your insurance provider now pays at least some of the costs associated with substance abuse treatment are excellent.  Of course, with every plan being unique, it is imperative that anyone in need of treatment start the quest by contacting their insurance company or human resources representative to get clarity on the details.

Health Insurance that Covers Substance Abuse is Common Now

Since the mid-2000s there has been a major shift in the insurance industry toward paying benefits for mental health and substance abuse treatment.  It wasn’t always that way.  For decades, many insurers did not include benefits for services such as detox or rehab.  Because of that, many people who needed help never obtained it due to cost restraints.

At some point insurers became aware that by not providing help for people struggling with addiction or mental health disorders the overall costs to the insurer became even higher.  It was determined that offering at least some coverage for treatment services might prevent much more costly interventions later, thereby making it a cost effective decision.  Now most insurance providers offer some level of coverage for behavioral health services such as addiction treatment.

Types of Health Insurance that Covers Substance Abuse

There are a variety of different types of insurance plans on the market, including bare bones HMO plans and upscale private PPO plans.  Government issued plans, such as Tricare, Medicaid, and Medicare now also provide varying levels of coverage for substance use disorders.

Here is a list of insurance providers that pay benefits for detox and rehab:

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Asuris
• Blue Cross
• BlueCross and BlueShield
• Cigna
• ComPsych
• Coventry
• Empire BlueCross
• Health Net
• Humana
• Kaiser
• MHN
• Magellan Behavioral Health
• Multiplan
• Optum
• Premera
• Tricare
• ValueOptions
• WellPoint

If you do not have medical insurance, there are some treatment providers who can help.  The Salvation Army adult rehabilitation program is a 6 month program that is free of charge, but often has a waiting list, so be prepared to understand that can be a reality.  Many treatment programs offer payment plans so the costs can be paid in small increments.

Verify a Treatment Specialist

Because of the fluid nature of the insurance marketplace, it is necessary to do a verification of benefits learn exactly what your benefits are.  Our team can discuss your deductibles and any other out-of-pocket expense, as well as any limitations of coverage (in network providers versus out of network) on the type or duration of the treatment.

Substance Abuse Treatment That Accepts Insurance

The Treatment Specialist will connect you to a treatment center  that will review if your health insurance covers substance abuse.  The specialists will provide a free assessment to determine your treatment needs.  For more information contact a Treatment Specialist at (866) 644-7911.