Rehab is for everyone, no matter your age, your location, your gender, or your financial situation. You may be retired at the moment but still struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction. For many retirees, income is limited to what they receive every month from social security, pensions, or disability. Many men and women find themselves coming up short every month just trying to pay the bills. Shelling out extra to go to a rehab facility for addiction may seem like it is a far-away dream.
So how do you find affordable rehab centers if you’ve retired and have a limited income stream? Read on to learn some valuable answers to this question.
1. Check with your insurance company first
While you may not have the income to fully fund your rehab stay, you may have health insurance that could help. If you do, it may surprise you to know that your policy may cover all or part of a rehab stay. Yes, many health insurance companies consider rehab an important health issue. Talk to your insurance provider to see what they cover. Even if your stay isn’t fully covered, many health insurance plans provide partial coverage for outpatient stays or therapy appointments. You may or may not have a co-pay depending on your company, but it is worth it to look into it.
2. Ask about financing options
If you can’t afford rehab on your fixed income, consider different financing options. You may be able to take out a loan from your bank or credit union to cover some or all of the costs. Once you find out whether or not you are eligible for a loan, you can then start researching different rehab centers to find one you can afford. Many rehab centers will offer different services depending on what you are able to afford at that time. If your bank doesn’t lend you the money, look for a rehab that offers private financing through their own banks.
3. Find a rehab with a sliding scale
You may be able to pay for rehab on a sliding scale. Talk to the center and be upfront about your fixed income. Tell them exactly what you could afford to pay every month. Many rehabs take your financial situation into consideration when you want to go there for their services. Remember, they may look at the income of your whole household. If you are married, the facility will usually take both of your finances into consideration. This is often helpful if your spouse makes more than you and is willing to shoulder some of the financial burden.
4. Search online for government grants
Type in “government grants for rehab services” into Google or another search engine, along with your city and state. Carefully read through the information you find to see if there are any available rehab grants you could apply for. Grants are often awarded to low-income retirees, even those who are on a fixed income. Since you won’t have to pay a grant back, you don’t have to worry about how it will affect your budget in the future. Even if you don’t find a grant that you don’t have to repay, you might stumble on a loan offer from companies that care about addiction.
5. Set up a crowdfunding campaign
Yes, it is hard to ask for help, especially when you have to be completely open and vulnerable to do it. But when you need rehab and you don’t have the money to pay for it, you might want to shelve your pride and just ask for help online. Sobriety is more important at this point, so consider a crowdfunding campaign on social media to get the money you need for rehab.
6. Sell what you don’t need
It’s easier than ever to sell the items you don’t need any longer to raise a little extra cash. You don’t even need to hold a face-to-face garage sale with the invention of online marketing! Check out various online marketplaces or apps that allow you to sell your personal items with no hassle. We all have items around our homes that we don’t need anymore, so why not get rid of them for the cash you need for rehab?
When you are ready to check into rehab, call us at 833-846-5669. We are one of the best rehab facilities in the area, and we truly care about the needs of each and every patient. We look forward to hearing from you!