How Do You Pay for a Drug Addiction Rehab Program?

Finding a drug rehab is often just the first hurdle to recovery, but the cost of drug rehab is not far behind. But what many don’t realize is that paying for rehab doesn’t have to be so daunting or confusing.

Unless you’re paying out-of-pocket, addiction treatment costs aren’t always as high as you might expect. Ultimately, the final cost of someone’s addiction treatment depends on whether they have health insurance coverage, the level of that coverage, and whether they’re eligible for scholarships or other financial aid.

With this in mind, let’s break down the cost of rehab and the best ways to pay for it.

Breaking Down the Categories of Care

Rehab is separated into three different types, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and costs. Why does the type of treatment matter? Well, as the treatment becomes more intensive, the expenses involved with providing that care also increase, which translates to higher costs for the patient. Or at least it works that way in theory; there are other factors to consider, which we’ll come back to in a moment.

Inpatient treatment, likely to be the most expensive, involves being treated around-the-clock in a facility connected to a hospital. Residential treatment, the most conventional form of rehab, is when you check directly into a treatment center that gives you moderately-priced care. Finally, outpatient treatment is when you receive the same counseling of residential treatment without living in a facility. This tends to be the cheapest option, but resources will be more limited. The right rehabilitation program for you will depend entirely on your needs.

What is the Average Cost of an Addiction Treatment Program?

The average cost of an addiction treatment program per person is $13,475, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. But the industry average doesn’t tell you much compared to breaking down differences in rate and cost across different types of treatment.

Though somewhat uncommon, some programs have a daily rate; this tends to be the case for programs where the length is indefinite, which effectively means it lasts exactly as long as it needs to last. Detox programs are a prime example as they tend to have a daily rate of $250 to $800 per day.

General outpatient rehab ranges from $1,400 to $10,000, which covers the entire run of the program. A month of inpatient rehab can range from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on the rehab, its staff, and its accommodations. Meanwhile, residential treatment can range from $5,000 to even $80,000, depending on many of those same factors.

Costs also vary due to a differences in services offered, stay length, and overall quality. For these reasons, the cost of rehab can be extremely variable depending on the style of treatment and the facility, as well as your own insurance or employer.

Average Cost By Program Type

Adjusted in 2016 to account for recent inflation, the cost per episode—or a single cycle of a program—is as follows:

• The cost of methadone treatment in 2016 was $5,897 to $18,468.
• Non-methadone outpatient treatment cost between $1,561 to $2,894.
• Intensive outpatient treatment was between $1,908 to $7,969.
• The cost of adolescent outpatient treatment was between $2,092 and $4,463.
• The cost of drug court services was from $3,427 to $6,739.
• The current cost of adult residential treatment was between $4,008 and $15,524.
• Therapeutic community treatment costs between $20,430 and $44,616.
• Therapeutic community treatment for prisons costs between $1,722 and $2,912.

Adjusted for inflation, we’re looking at a total detoxification cost $141,001 per person, residential treatment cost $50,469, outpatient treatment cost $8,386, and outpatient treatment for methadone cost $7,451. Of course, those who end up contributing out-of-pocket, like with a deductible or co-pay, usually pay a fraction of the total cost.

With all of this in mind, the general consensus seems to be that most addiction treatment programs land somewhere in the [admittedly very large delta] between $2,000 and $25,000 per month of care. The thing to remember, though, is that the cost of addiction is also shockingly high; someone with a daily drug habit could easily drop thousands upon thousands of dollars on drugs.

Does Insurance Pay for Rehab?

Insurance providers are actually required by law to cover treatment for substance use and mental health disorder. While this should cover the majority of the costs associated with the program, insurance members are still responsible for a copay and a deductible.

Though they can vary, providers have access to a lot of helpful resources. With the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, health insurers and group health plans offer the same level of benefits for mental health and substance use disorder treatments as for medical or surgical care.

There are two types of insurance: Private insurance isn’t subsidized by the government but is often required by law to provide mental health and addiction recovery services. Then public insurance is government funded and accessible through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Private insurance is more expensive but also more robust in what it can offer since subsidized insurance may not cover what you need.

Are There Other Programs to Help?

There are several scholarship programs available to who’s uninsured, underinsured, or in need of a form of treatment that’s not covered by insurance. These scholarships are usually provided by individual institutions and are based on the financial needs of the person.

Scholarships are also commonly offered by non-profits like 10,000 Beds, which matches people in need to individual facilities with unfilled openings. When you lack resources and community support, searching out a non-profit is a great way to get access. Not every scholarship covers the full cost, but they can make rehab more affordable.

Some facilities are actually funded by the federal and state governments, or even third parties. These facilities tend to lack the level of quality, particularly when it comes to the accommodations, as private institutions, but they provide another option for someone who’s unable to pay out-of-pocket. Other institutions offer income-based enrollment, which means they look at your income and set the price based on what you can actually afford.

If you’re having trouble finding a scholarship, treatment centers sometimes offer payment plans to help you start as soon as possible.

For some, an employer might actually cover the cost of rehab as a growing number of companies have recognized the importance of offering recovery resources; if you think that could apply to you, we suggest visiting the human resources department.

Find Peace of Mind at SoberMind Recovery

The price of rehab can be high, but it doesn’t have to be. With programs that are both high and low in cost, not to mention insurance, employment benefits, scholarships, and assistance from facilities themselves, there are so many ways to access needed medical care and get your life back on track.

To anyone who may be struggling in addiction, there is no shame in seeking help. At our inpatient rehab in LA, SoberMind Recovery, we help those in the throes of addiction through the important steps of addiction recovery.

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