Paying for Teen Drug Rehab
For parents who find that their teenager struggles with a substance use disorder, one of the first questions that they should ask themselves is, “How can I help them?” If the best answer involves drug rehab, the next two issues may very well be, “How can I pay for it?” and “how much does it cost for drug rehab for a teenager? “
It’s a natural question to ask. After all, drug treatment facilities fees can range from $250 to $700 per day for detox and/or residential rehab services. Outpatient rehab or medication-assisted treatment costs between $500 and $3000 per month or more on average.
Health Insurance Can Provide Coverage
If you have medical insurance provided by your employer, a trade group, or a private company, your plan will cover at least part (and possibly most) of rehab’s cost. A portion of the Affordable Care Act asserts that all health insurance plans must cover substance abuse and mental health treatment programs to a given extent.
Whatever portion that insurance doesn’t cover can be paid for using a health savings account or a flexible spending account; employers may offer these accounts so that workers can allocate a specific part of each paycheck that can be put toward qualified medical expenses, which includes addiction treatment.
Medicaid and Financing Options
If you have no private or employer-sponsored medical insurance, you can still get cost reimbursement through your state’s Medicaid program if you enroll your teenager at a participating facility. Therefore, the cost for drug rehab for a teenager may lessen with such insurance. The coverage amounts and requirements vary from one state to the next, so be sure to check with your state’s Medicaid office for details.
Whatever section of your teen’s rehab isn’t covered by the programs mentioned above can often be structured into a monthly payment plan. The facility itself may provide this type of program; if not, there are many banks, credit unions, or other bodies that can lend you the money needed to pay the remaining balance and allow you to submit monthly payments over multiple years.
Low-Cost or Free Facilities
For low-income families or those below the poverty line, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help them find treatment facilities subsidized by an outside source. The SAMHSA website has a Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator that parents can use to find a rehab center where payment assistance is offered.
Though not available everywhere, some rehab centers do not charge any fees to their patients. Therefore, the question of the cost for drug rehab for a teenager goes out of the window if you get such a rehab center. The Salvation Army’s no-fee inpatient rehabilitation program is a prime example, though other religious or civic organizations may also operate no-cost rehab facilities.
