Paying for drug treatment: 3 things to avoid

Drug treatment is expensive, but it is often necessary for those looking to overcome an addiction. However, it’s important to understand that there are ways to pay for drug treatment, and there are a few things you need to avoid during treatment, including paying on behalf of someone else. Tips on paying for drug treatment here.

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Paying for drug treatment

There’s no doubt that the cost of drug treatment is high. Unfortunately, it’s often a necessary part of the recovery process. Financing addiction treatment may seem impossible (especially at daily average costs of $135 per day for outpatient drug treatment and $715 per day for inpatient drug treatment), but there are several resources that can make drug treatment affordable for nearly anyone.

In fact, you may come to realize NOT SEEKING drug treatment can be more costly in the long run. Below are some of the top reasons to pay for drug treatment.

  • Drug addiction often leads to legal problems, which will cost you a great deal of money.
  • Medical problems from long-term drug abuse are often much more expensive throughout a person’s life than a stint in drug rehab.
  • Relationships often suffer due to drug abuse, and may end in costly divorces.
  • Drug abuse can often interfere with your ability to find and maintain employment, leading to lost or low wages.
  • Purchasing drugs on a regular basis is one of the quickest ways to empty your wallet.

Financing drug treatment

With no insurance, financing drug treatment may seem nearly impossible. We’ve come up with a few ideas on how you may be able to pay for drug treatment.

1. Drug treatment centers that use sliding scale fees are some of the best options for those interested in financing drug treatment. These facilities and programs generally only charge individuals what they can reasonably afford. These fees are determined by a person’s income; low-income individuals will pay much less than those with higher incomes.

2. Medicaid is a government funded program that covers the cost of medical treatments, including drug rehab, for low-income individuals. To find out if you’re eligible for Medicaid, contact your county or state assistance office.

3. Health insurance companies might also cover some or all of your drug treatment costs. The best way to find out for sure is to contact your insurance company and ask. If you’re over the age of 65, Medicare will also cover part of your drug treatment costs.

4. The government uses congressional monies to help offset drug treatment.  Browse the SAMHSA Treatment Locator Tool online, or call 1-800-662-HELP for access to your state’s funded agencies and information on getting low cost drug treatment.

Help paying for drug treatment

Paying for drug treatment isn’t easy, but it can be done. Keep in mind that there are a number of people that you can ask for help, if you need it. For example, your loved ones might be willing to loan you money to successfully complete treatment. You can also contact local and national non-profit groups, which sometimes offer reduced cost or free drug treatment. Finally, look into scholarship or grant monies from local foundations. A local recovery community center would be a good place to start your search.

Paying for drug treatment: 3 things to avoid

Drug treatment is a long and difficult process, not to mention an expensive ordeal. To help yourself obtain a successful recovery, there are a few things that you should avoid during drug treatment.

1. DON’T assume a high cost treatment center provides better quality services. Look into low cost alternatives that are reputable and recommended.

2. DON’T sign off on someone else’s debt.  The addict should be responsible for paying for treatment.

3. AVOID paying via credit card.  Instead, work out a payment plan with the treatment center directly.  This way, you can avoid high APR%.

Affordable care act and drug treatment

Additionally, when considering how to pay for drug treatment, know that the tide is turning on your behalf.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a new law that aims to help more individuals in the United States have access to affordable health insurance. This includes individuals suffering from drug addictions. Under this new law, health insurance companies are required to offer policies with drug treatment coverage; co-pays for this coverage must also be as affordable as other types of medical treatments. This means that you’ll have an easier time finding a health insurance policy that offers drug treatment coverage, and you won’t be required to pay an arm and a leg for it.

Drug treatment payment questions

Hopefully, we’ve helped eliminate some of your fear and frustration about drug treatment payment. Any addition drug payment questions you may have can be left in the comments section below. We strive to help all of our readers work toward a drug-free lifestyle.

Reference Sources: NCBI: Benefit–Cost in the California Treatment Outcome Project: Does Substance Abuse Treatment “Pay for Itself”
The White House: Substance Abuse and the Affordable Care Act
SAMHSA: Health Reform
MCCA: Employee Assistance Program
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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