Can You Use Aetna Insurance Coverage for Alcohol Rehab?
Alcohol abuse is a big problem all over the U.S. In fact, more than 14 million people older than 12 struggle with alcohol addiction in the U.S. alone. This leads to 1 in every 10 children living with an adult, usually a parent, struggling with alcohol abuse.1
Substance abuse leads to 70,000 deaths each year due to overdose. If you look at other substances, including illicit drugs and tobacco, more than 60% of people have used them at least once in the past year.2
All of this means that many people may be in need of treatment for substance abuse disorder (SUD). Unfortunately, no more than 2% receive the help they need. Most will list lack of funds as the main reason why they never attempted to get treatment.2,3
Insurance is the main way of funding treatment for most people. Medicare and Medicaid are well-known options, but not everyone is eligible for them. This is why many people opt for private insurance. For example, Aetna insurance coverage is often used for alcohol treatment.2
What Does Aetna Insurance Cover for Alcohol Treatment?
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) demands all health insurance providers cover the same amount of care for behavioral health and substance abuse as they would for medical care. This means that your Aetna nationwide coverage plan will likely cover your SUD treatment to an extent.4
Aetna-covered addiction treatment is a good option for people whose drinking has negatively affected their health, as well as work and family relationships. Aetna follows a special, evidence-based practice called Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT).5
Treatment for substance abuse has to be individualized, as it cannot be the same for everyone. This is why Aetna and other insurance providers may cover various aspects of care. This might include:5,6
- Arranging interventions with the help of a trained professional.
- Covering detox treatment and withdrawal assistance.
- Screening for drug and alcohol abuse and co-occurring disorders that might be correlated.
- Co-occurring disorder treatment if needed.
- Alcohol and drug treatment in inpatient rehab facilities.
- Therapy and counseling in an outpatient setting.
What’s not Included in Aetna Coverage for Alcohol Treatment?
Just because you have an insurance policy plan, this doesn’t mean that all of your costs will be covered. All health benefits, as well as insurance plans, contain specific limitations and expulsions. This usually includes:5,7
- Amenities that aren’t of medical nature.
- Holistic care.
- Programs that serve for recreation.
- Food delivery options.
- Treatment services that aren’t required by a medical professional.
- Alternative therapies that aren’t approved by the FDA or medical personnel.
How Much Is Alcohol Rehab?
Many factors affect the cost of addiction rehab. This is why it’s challenging to provide an estimate without assessing your individual situation. While some insurance plans might even cover the entire cost of treatment, others will cover just a portion of expenses.4
Overall, these are the contributing factors in determining the full cost of rehab:8
- What services are offered.
- The intensity of services.
- Treatment duration.
- Various amenities or specialized settings, such as therapy and guidance for couples battling SUD or same-day admittance for people who might benefit from it.
How Much Is Inpatient Treatment for Alcohol Abuse?
Inpatient alcohol rehab is an effective option for individuals struggling with severe substance abuse. This type of rehab allows you to stay in a controlled setting, surrounded by medical professionals 24/7. However, all of this means that inpatient rehab can be a rather expensive option for some individuals, especially as the inpatient treatment usually lasts for several weeks or even months.6
What’s the Cost of Outpatient Alcohol Rehab?
Outpatient treatment centers help individuals deal with their SUD without admitting them into inpatient facilities. This means a person in question can spend most of their time doing everyday activities but will be required to appear in therapy that can be arranged in a group or individual setting.6
Outpatient therapy is typically more affordable that inpatient or residential programs. This is because it uses fewer resources and doesn’t provide as intensive care as inpatient rehab or partial hospitalization programs.6
What’s the Cost of Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) for Alcohol Addiction?
A partial hospitalization program (PHP) requires patients to spend most of their day in inpatient setting but allows them to spend the night outside of the facility. This places it somewhere between inpatient and outpatient facilities. As such, this type of treatment usually isn’t as expensive as inpatient rehab but may be still more costly than outpatient treatment facilities.6
How Much Is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
Many treatment facilities use medication to help struggling individuals battle their SUD. While effective, the cost of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is hard to predict, as there are several types of medications that might be used in various dosages. Also, medications can be combined with inpatient, outpatient, or PHP treatment, which further makes it challenging to determine the cost of treatment upfront.9
How the Cost of Alcohol Rehab Compare to the Cost of Alcohol Addiction?
Some individuals might think the cost of treatment is too high. However, some struggling idnividuals don’t think about how expensive it is not to get the help you need on time.
Alcohol use and abuse ccan have a great impact on every aspect of an individual’s life. A person with alcohol abuse disorder is likely to experience a loss of income as their workplace productivity will reduce. Their medical bills will increase as alcohol use can lead to other health problems. Some people who abuse alcohol also have problems with the law, which means they’ll be liable for court expenses, as well.10
Alcohol addiction also alters standard brain functions, and the longer a person uses alcohol, the more extensive the damage is. Therefore, it’s important to start treatment as quickly as possible. The more you delay the treatment, the more care you’ll require. As time goes by, the cost of treatment may end up being much higher than it would be if you went to rehab earlier.4,11
What’s the Length of Aetna Alcohol Rehab Coverage?
All types of SUD, including alcohol addiction, are relapsing disorders that are often impossible to treat with professional help. For treatment to be effective, it also needs to last long enough to deal with all the aspects of the disorder.12
During the assessment process that occurs upon your admission, a medical professional will determine the severity and complexity of your AUD and decide on the adequate treatment length.12
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to treatment. However, many pieces of research have shown that longer treatment duration usually has a better outcome and lower relapsing rates. In general, the lowest duration of a successful treatment is 3 months.12
If you’d like to know how long your Aetna nationwide coverage for alcohol rehab will last, your best option is to contact a dedicated hotline and ask about your healthcare plan. The length of the treatment might also vary on the Aetna insurance rehabilitation center you want to apply for. Feel free to share any information or discuss your concerns because hotline conversations and your information are entirely confidential.13
How Can I Choose Between Aetna-Covered Outpatient and Inpatient Drug Rehab Centers Nationwide?
Aetna insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment can include both outpatient and inpatient treatment. Which one is suitable for you depends on many relevant factors, such as the severity of your alcohol abuse disorder.6
In general, however, inpatient treatment seems to have a better outcome as it provides a more structured and intensive environment, keeping individuals away from triggering places and situations.6,12
Not just that, but inpatient programs usually offer a higher level of care as they can provide more amenities and advanced methods for treatment. Patients are able to stay in a supportive environment with as few distractions as possible. This also helps them gain accountability and stay focused on sobriety.6
How to Use Aetna Alcohol Abuse Coverage?
If you’d like to use Aetna insurance to cover an alcohol treatment program available to you, there is a specific procedure that you must follow. The first thing you need to do is to get a referral. Most treatment plans will only cover the costs of treatment that you have a referral for.14
There are several ways to get a referral. Which one is the right for you depends on your Aetna insurance coverage and treatment provider. You might have to contact:14
- Your behavioral health care provider.
- A health plan dispatcher.
- Your primary care doctor.
Then, you’ll be pointed in the direction of an in-network local rehab facility that offers the treatment you need. The facility might have to verify your insurance once again and determine the exact coverage.14
How to Find Aetna Substance Abuse Providers?
To find Aetna alcohol or drug rehab in CA or in any other state across the country, the first thing you might want to do is to contact the Aetna helpline and ask them about local treatment centers in their network. This might be a good moment to check whether you’re liable for some copayments, so you can think about how you’ll finance your treatment on time.
You can also call any local helpline for alcohol abuse and ask them to point you in the direction of a facility that might meet your needs.
Another option is to contact a provider of treatment services that’s recognized nationally. For instance, you can reach out to American Addiction Centers (AAC) via their online form or hotline. AAC can verify your insurance coverage and refer you to some of the best alcohol abuse treatment facilities near you.
Among some of their reputable facilities are Desert Hope Treatment Center in Las Vegas, NV, Laguna Treatment Hospital in Orange County, CA, and many other facilties offering personalized, evidence-backed care to individuals from different demographic groups.
While on the phone with an AAC dispatcher, use this opportunity to check your benefits and ask about payment options available to you. Whether you’re looking for Aetna-covered facilities nationwide or a local center, AAC can help you make the first step toward recovery.
