Why Is Drug Treatment So Expensive?

Cost is often seen as being one of the greatest barriers to addiction treatment. After all, a months-long stint in rehab is hardly cheap. However, if you or someone care about is living with substance use disorder, there are actually many feasible, affordable ways to cover the costs of treatment. More importantly, this is among the most worthwhile spending that most people will engage in. Not only does professional addiction treatment set the stage for lasting sobriety, but it also gives recovering addicts the skills they need for both establishing and maintaining comfortable, sustainable lives.

With inpatient rehab, treatment costs include housing throughout the duration of treatment, meals, therapy, and more. With outpatient rehab, patients can look forward to significantly lower treatment costs, but they’ll also need access to a suitable, stable living environment that’s entirely temptation-free. For many, this means additionally paying the costs of staying in a sober living facility. If you’re concerned about the costs of drug treatment, you can always work with admissions counselors and others in the addiction treatment industry to learn more about your options. Not only are there multiple types of drug rehab at various price points, but there are also numerous ways to cover the costs of these services.

Deciding How You’ll Pay for Drug Treatment

The Affordable Care Act has made it infinitely easier for people with private pay health insurance to access drug treatment. Under the Affordable Care Act, drug addiction or substance use disorder is categorized as a treatable mental health issue. Moreover, private pay health insurance companies are no longer legally allowed to penalize either policyholders or those applying for coverage for having substance use disorder as a pre-existing condition. Thus, if you have coverage that you’ve purchased through the Healthcare Marketplace or on your own, some or all of your addiction treatment may be paid for by your current health plan. If you don’t currently have a plan, you can still buy one and now use it for this expense even though you’re already aware of your addiction.

One of the best ways to determine what a health insurance plan will and will not cover is by speaking with the issuing insurance company directly. You can also speak with admissions counselors at rehab centers that accept your insurance. They’ll be familiar with the provisions that your plan makes. They can also give you a detailed breakdown of any out-of-pocket costs that you’ll be responsible for.

Even people with private pay insurance will be responsible for covering some portion of their treatment costs. At the very least, health insurers require policyholders to cover:

  • Plan deductibles
  • Prescription charges
  • Co-payments

If there are aspects of your addiction treatment that aren’t covered by your current health plan, your out-of-pocket spending will increase. Whether you have coverage or not, you can always work with rehab centers to:

  • Establish a reasonable payment plan
  • Make payments using a debit card, credit card, or cash
  • Learn more about available scholarship opportunities

Many charitable organizations offer scholarships that cover some or all of patients’ rehab costs. You can find out about these funding opportunities from individual drug treatment centers, charitable donors themselves, or through various third-parties. These opportunities are generally claimed on a first-come, first-served basis, and they may be entirely needs-based.

Other strategies for covering the costs of addiction treatment include fundraising or crowd-sourcing. There are many online platforms and charitable organizations that can assist you in implementing a fundraising campaign for covering the costs of your own drug treatment or that of a loved one. Finally, you can also speak with your human resources department at work. Many employers are willing to contribute to their employees’ addiction treatment costs when issues with substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder arise. If you’re diligent in seeking out all of your available payment options, you’ll likely find several funding sources that you can use together to make drug treatment more accessible.

Cost shouldn’t be a barrier to getting addiction treatment. If you find that you still can’t afford options in inpatient rehab after you’ve done your research, consider:

  • Outpatient rehab
  • Partial hospitalization programs or day programs
  • Relapse prevention services
  • Sober meetings

If you’re worried about the costs of addiction treatment but are ready to go to rehab, we can help. Call us today at 833-846-5669 to get the information you need.