August 19, 2015

How Much Does Drug Rehab Cost

If you’re ready to seek the help you deserve from a drug rehab center, unless you’re independently wealthy, you’re probably concerned about costs. The costs of continuing your addiction to drugs or alcohol far exceed any costs you can expect to incur as a result of your decision to pursue rehab. But it’s natural to be a little concerned about how taking this new step will affect your financial bottom line.

How Federal Regulations are Altering Drug Rehab Costs

Federal mental health parity laws, including the Affordable Care Act, require insurers to offer equal coverage for mental and physical health services. This doesn’t mean that all services will be covered, though. Instead, you’ll be required to meet the criteria outlined by your insurer, which may include seeking outpatient care first, receiving a diagnosis, or pursuing other treatment options.

Once you’ve met the criteria your insurer requires, we can help you ensure your stay at Toronto Addiction Centre is covered. Though insurers are required to cover substance abuse treatment, research consistently suggests that they’re taking steps to avoid paying as many claims as they can. For this reason, it’s critically important to talk to your insurer about your benefits prior to checking in. Our financial experts can help you navigate the challenges of managed care, advocate for you, and ensure you meet all necessary criteria for your stay to be covered.

The good news is that, with a little help, you might not have to pay anything at all. Some insurers may require you to first meet a deductible, and you may also have to pay a copay for any prescription drugs you take, but many of our clients are surprised to learn that a significant portion of their stay expenses are covered by insurance.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Your Drug Rehab Center Stay

Toronto Addiction Centre, along with most other drug rehab centers, doesn’t have a single cost for treatment. Instead, treatment programs vary, and so too does the cost. A number of factors can influence the cost of your stay, including:

Whether or not you have health insurance, and how much of your deductible for the year you’ve met.
How long you stay; a 30-day stay is typically much cheaper than a 90-day stay.
The living options you choose. Private rooms cost more than shared living spaces.
Whether you require any specialized treatment, such as medically supervised detox or prescription drug monitoring.

We’ll work with you to ensure that the costs for your stay are made clear from the outset. Our skilled team of financial experts will work with you to craft a stay that works with your budget while simultaneously meeting your treatment needs.

Inpatient vs. Outpatient Care

We often work with clients who initially pursued outpatient treatment options. After all, the reasoning goes, it’s a lot cheaper to attend a weekly 12-step meeting than to invest in an extended stay at a drug rehab center. But forgoing inpatient care when you need it can end up costing you more in the long-run. Some financial considerations include:

Medical bills. If you don’t get clean and sober, your health could be compromised, costing you a pretty penny in health care expenses.
Legal expenses. Many drug and alcohol addicts are eventually arrested or sued. The costs of paying bail, lost wages due to time in jail and court appearances, and endless legal fees can all quickly add up.
Lost wages. Many addicts neglect their jobs, either eventually losing these jobs, or failing to make progress that could earn them more money.
The costs of drugs themselves—as well as any measures you must take to get them. For instance, if you engage in doctor-shopping to get prescription drugs, you could easily spend several thousand dollars a month on doctor’s appointments alone.
Failed treatments. If you pursue outpatient treatment, but that treatment isn’t adequate to get you sober, you could end up throwing away endless money on treatments that don’t work.

Outpatient treatment can and does work, but only for highly motivated addicts who are fully committed to their treatment. If financial considerations are your sole reason for avoiding inpatient care, or if you want to pursue outpatient treatment because you’re not yet fully committed to your recovery, it’s better to wait until you’re really ready.

Do I Need Inpatient Drug Rehab?

Not sure whether you need drug rehab? Remember, some addicts are successfully able to get clean with outpatient treatment. But ask yourself the following questions. If you answer yes to three or more, you will likely need inpatient care to get and stay sober:

Do you have a history of mental illness, chronic physical health problems, or serious illnesses?
Have you previously been addicted to drugs or alcohol?
Does drug or alcohol addiction run in your family?
Have you lost a job or important relationship because of your addiction?
Do you experience intense physical withdrawal symptoms when you attempt to quit?
Do you use alcohol or drugs to cope with [physical or mental health issues?
Have you been arrested or incarcerated because of your addiction?
Have you harmed someone else because of your addiction?
Do you feel hopeless about your life, or about your ability to get and stay sober?

What if I Can’t Afford a Drug Rehab Center?

If you can’t afford a drug rehab center, we don’t want you to lose hope. You have a number of options for paying for your treatment, including payment plans, loans, and coverage from your insurance provider. We believe that finances should never prevent an addict from getting the help he or she needs. We applaud the courage you’ve displayed by being willing to seek help, and we’re thrilled to help you evaluate your various options for affording the treatment you deserve.

Contact Addiction Rehab Centres Canada today!

Further Reading:

Drug Rehab Program
List of Insurance Providers Supporting Drug Rehab