Medicare and Medicaid
Government programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare exist on the federal and state level to provide free or low-cost addiction treatment for patients who do not have their own insurance programs. Each program has its unique eligibility requirements, and they may cover all of the treatment costs or only a portion of the total fee.
The policies and rules for Medicaid and Medicare differ across state borders, and coverage guidelines can be altered every year. Some people who were rejected for either program may find themselves eligible in the future. However, this means that most of them have to discover the answer to the question; how much does basic drug addiction rehab cost without insurance?
Medicaid is the designated public insurance system for low-income families (defined by a particular income bracket). The Affordable Care Act of 2010 added essential drug and alcohol rehabilitation to Medicaid coverage. While this implies that many individuals are eligible to get an inpatient stay through Medicaid, not all treatment centers will accept Medicaid to cover their services.
The Substance Abuse Rehab Centers and Mental Health Services Administration has a list of rehabilitation centers across the country that will accept Medicaid. Under the terms of the Affordable Care Act, an individual has to earn less than 133% of the federal poverty to qualify for Medicaid coverage. A patient who makes above the federal poverty level can still get government insurance coverage, depending on their income bracket.
The Medicare program is accessible to anyone 65 and older and/or who has a disability. There is a monthly premium that accompanies with Medicare, which is based on the patient’s income. It demands reduced payments from someone who makes less (again, based on their income bracket and other necessary expenses). Still, it is better than having to find out how much basic drug addiction rehab costs without insurance.
As with Medicaid, Medicare is set up to cover the costs of inpatient drug rehabilitation. The program comes in four parts, and the first part addresses insurance for hospital stays explicitly. Medicare Part A covers 60 days of treatment without a co-insurance payment; patients using their Medicare coverage must pay a deductible. Medicare covers 190 days, and no more, of inpatient care across a patient’s entire life.
Affording Inpatient Drug Rehab without Insurance
When considering inpatient drug rehab, the topics of money and insurance can seem like an inconsiderate distraction; the substance abuse of a loved one is a delicate subject, to begin with, and problems related to affording treatment can make a difficult process exponentially more heartbreaking. It is all too easy for people to avoid rehabilitation entirely because they have no insurance when thinking of how much basic drug addiction rehab costs without insurance, and even treatment facilities have, in the past, been slow and hesitant about starting the conversation about payment. However, dealing with inpatient drug treatment’s financial realities is essential – not only to ensure that treatment is appropriately settled but also for the peace of mind and empowerment that comes from taking care of a significant first step in recovery.
