We’d like to think we’d pay anything to make ourselves or our loved ones safe and healthy. But real life involves balancing what we want and need with what we can afford. You want to start a sober life. You don’t want to start it in debt or find you can’t start it at all because of the costs of addiction treatment. Before you give up on getting better, know treatment is more affordable than ever. The services you need cost less than you’d think, and the treatment you want may be more flexible than you’d expect.
Do You Have Insurance?
So you want to know how much treatment costs. The first question is, Do you have insurance? Insurance makes a huge difference when it comes to cost. Thanks to new laws, insurance is more affordable than ever, and any plan offered through the Marketplace must cover the following:
- Behavioral health treatment, such as psychotherapy and counseling
- Mental and behavioral health inpatient services
- Substance use disorder (commonly known as substance abuse) treatment1
If you get your insurance through an employer or other source, these aspects of healthcare are most likely still covered. Laws have made changes so that mental health care and addiction treatment have to be treated as seriously and fairly as physical health care issues.
You don’t have to know all the details of your insurance plan and coverage. You don’t even have to call and talk with insurance companies yourself. A professional, accredited treatment program will have professionals on hand to help you get the most from your insurance.
What If I Don’t Have Insurance?
If you don’t have insurance, or don’t want to use your insurance, you can still get the treatment you need. Treatment prices may seem steep, but addiction isn’t exactly free. You know how much your addiction costs you. You have to pay for the drug itself. Addiction impacts your career or ability to hold a job. You have to pay court fees, medical bills and other costs related to drug use. Addiction adds up. Treatment may require an upfront cost, but then you are done.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse looks at the comparison clinically, but that doesn’t make it any less true: “Substance abuse costs our Nation over $600 billion annually…Drug addiction treatment has been shown to reduce associated health and social costs by far more than the cost of the treatment itself. Treatment is also much less expensive than its alternatives, such as incarcerating addicted persons. For example, the average cost for 1 full year of methadone maintenance treatment is approximately $4,700 per patient, whereas 1 full year of imprisonment costs approximately $24,000 per person.”2 Personally and nationally, treatment will always be cheaper than addiction.
Finding Affordable Addiction Treatment
If you have insurance, reach out to professionals and ask about getting coverage for the services you need. If you don’t have insurance, look for programs that offer treatment on a sliding scale. Ask about payment plans, scholarships and more. Attend free support group meetings and jump into more affordable therapy sessions or outpatient care so you don’t lose motivation while you work on your finances.
Money Matters
You cannot put a price on a healthy, sober life. However, we understand that the cost of treatment does matter. Get the care you need and the care you can afford. Call The Oaks at La Paloma. We will help you assess any costs related to treatment. We can verify insurance coverage and assist with finding additional services such as outpatient care, interventions, family mediation, and aftercare options. We offer flexible programs and flexible payment options. Learn more about effective treatment. Learn more about treatment that is within your reach by calling us today at 901-350-4575.
1 “Mental Health & Substance Abuse Coverage.” Healthcare.gov. Accessed 13 Nov. 2017.
2 “Is Drug Addiction Treatment Worth Its Cost?” National Institute on Mental Health. Dec. 2012. Accessed 13 Nov. 2017.