For many people, addiction treatment costs often pose an obstacle. Treatment programs can be extremely expensive and paying out of pocket for such programs may be an unlikely option. However, there are various ways to make the costs of a rehab treatment a bit more manageable.

1. Check for rehab programs offered by the city, county, or state.

Most states and municipalities have inpatient clinical rehab treatment options available for low-income, underage and at-risk populations struggling with serious substance addiction issues. These programs are generally free to state residents with qualifying financial status and apparent addiction issues. However, keep in mind that due to the low cost of these programs and the large geographic areas often served, there’s frequently a waiting list for new patients.

2. Contact your insurance company.

If you have insurance coverage, there are options included in your policy that permit some form of coverage for mental health and substance abuse issues. By calling your insurance company, you can quickly gather basic information regarding your health plan, including what type of rehab services for substance abuse are available, the duration of coverage for these services, whether or not there are deductible and the out-of-pocket costs for both in-network and out-of-network service providers. With this information in mind, you can usually search a directory of participating in-network service providers near your area or across the country. In-network rehab treatment programs likely have prearranged fee schedules for patients with the right insurance coverage. These are all details you can easily obtain with a quick web search.

3. Cold call rehab facilities.

In most cases, treatment programs will readily discuss your financing options. Most treatment programs also have staff members that can deal with insurance companies on your behalf. More importantly, rehab facilities rarely part ways with a prospective patient without providing references to other treatment facilities, programs, or substance abuse help options in your area.

4. Work on repayment terms with a prospective treatment center.

In special cases, a patient may be able to enter treatment pending a repayment contract between the individual and the treatment center. At the end of rehab, the patient is placed on a payment plan for the duration of his or her stay. However, these types of arrangements aren’t very common and must be discussed with the treatment center in advance.

5. Determine if you’re eligible for public insurance programs.

Most states and the federal government offer a wide range of public insurance programs for qualifying individuals. If eligible and enrolled in a public insurance program, you most likely can attend rehab treatment using this public insurance policy without cost. While state programs vary by name, qualifying candidates for federal Medicare, Medicaid, veterans, and other populations may be entitled to receive rehab treatment at low to no cost using these programs. Moreover, some state programs allow retroactive benefits to be paid by their public insurance programs if the patient enters treatment prior to completing enrollment in one or more of these state public insurance and social benefits programs.

If you or someone you know is seeking help from addiction, please visit our directory of treatment centers or call 800-891-8171 to start the path to recovery today.