When you have a health insurance plan, you can use it to cover some of, or all, of the costs of some surgeries, appointments and even inpatient drug rehab treatment facilities.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the most well known health insurance providers, and they offer some fantastic benefits in their plans to help those who need assistance the most.
However, each of their policies is different and depending on which policy you have, your coverage for drug and alcohol rehab treatment could change, therefore it’s important that you understand what you’re getting in your policy.
This guide will examine all the significant facets of having Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage for drug and alcohol treatments.
Who Are Blue Cross Blue Shield?
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is the top of the umbrella group that contains multiple different independent and local Blue Cross Blue Shield companies which offer health coverage to fifty states in the United States, DC and even Puerto Rico.
Coverage is taken by over one hundred million Americans and over 96% of hospitals in the United States.
Their coverage is generally accepted as one of the best available in the Country, however it is essential that you understand that not all of their plans and policies are the same.
It’s possible that, depending on your plan, you may have to pay out a small deductible and some out-of-pocket expenses.
It’s also possible that in order to qualify for treatment at one of the approved Blue Cross Blue Shield treatment facilities, you may need to be referred from a specialist.
Speaking of these treatment facilities, the Blue Cross Blue Shield policy will likely request that you use one of their approved centers if you’re using their insurance to cover some, or all, of the costs of the treatment.
What Type Of Treatment Might I Get At One Of Their Facilities?
The type of treatment that you will receive will depend largely on you. There is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction treatment and most rehab centers will understand that completely.
Once you’ve spoken with your primary care provider about your concerns, they may refer you for drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment.
The treatment options will be tailored for you specifically, and they may assess everything about you to get a full picture. These may include:
- Your home and family life
- Your financial circumstances and employment status
- Your history
- Your psychological state and frame of mind
- Your sexual orientation
- Your education
- Your overall general health
By understanding more about you, a drug and alcohol rehab center might be able to build a better treatment plan for you. You may be better suited to things like outpatient treatment or inpatient treatment.
You may also need further counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy. Whatever the case is, your primary care provider and the assessors at the treatment facility will be able to make an informed choice.
We will examine what these therapies are, later in this guide.
For now however, it’s important that we understand what a rehabilitation center is and what they do.
What Is Rehab?
Drugs and alcohol misuse and addiction can destroy your life and your family’s lives. When you’re gripped in the psychological, physiological and financial vice that drugs and alcohol can reap on you – it’s incredibly difficult to sort out.
Therefore, it’s critical that you reach out for help when you need it. Although treating the condition of drug and alcohol addiction is not an easy task, it’s much more helpful and beneficial to do it with a rehabilitation center.
Rehab can provide the support you need to help you stabilize your life after a long time of instability. Rehab centers can provide:
Safe Detox
Detoxing is a very important stage in the treatment process of getting clean. This is a time when your body is “extracting” all the toxins and bad chemistry that your body does not need in its system.
This stage is very difficult though. It’s known as withdrawal and withdrawal from drugs and alcohol can potentially be dangerous if it’s not done in a safe setting.
Rehab offers a place for people to withdraw from their substances with medical experts on hand.
As you’re in a clean place too, you will not be able to get the drugs or alcohol that your mind is screaming at you that you need – allowing for the process to continue.
Sometimes, withdrawal needs to have medication involved to ease some symptoms including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Shaking
- “Cold turkey” feeling
- Muscle aches and pain
It’s also essential to monitor this stage, in case of extreme cases where someone might collapse or experience shock.
Psychological Assistance And Counseling
Problems caused, or made worse, by the misuse of drugs and alcohol can wreak havoc on your psychology. Sometimes too, your psychology is what is causing you to head for the drugs and alcohol to begin with.
Experts at rehab facilities may be able to provide you with the counseling and one-to-one appointments that you need to talk through your concerns and concerns and work with you to reach a better conclusion, heading towards a new, clean lifestyle.
Sometimes, you may be offered other help like group therapies, tasks and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Ongoing Medication (Post Care)
Due to the long term use of alcohol and drugs, your brain chemistry and physiological function may have changed which required medical intervention through the use of medication to counteract some reactions from withdrawing from drugs.
Some drug users call this feeling “getting sick” and instead of getting their fix, they can get an ongoing medication to help keep their brain chemistry functioning and their body from not experiencing heavy withdrawal symptoms.
What Is Inpatient And Outpatient Treatment?
Your Blue Cross Blue Shield policy might say that it covers inpatient or outpatient (or both) treatments. Some people often get confused as to what each of these means. Here are the differences between the two.
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment includes the following:
- Treatment at a residential center
- 30 days or more treatment
- All help available within the facility
- Guidance and ongoing support from when you leave
Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatments include:
- Ongoing support
- Regular meetings (like AA)
- The patient can continue attending work, school, college etc.
- Usually a much longer treatment duration
The type of treatment you receive will be determined by specialists, but it requires you to tell your primary care provider or other medical expert that you need help to begin with.
Is It Important To Have A Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan?
It’s absolutely critical that you have coverage for drug and alcohol rehab. Check your plan to see what and how much you are covered for – but whatever the case, the critical part is about getting the help you need first, and worry about the costs later.
Around one quarter of American citizens experience or have experienced substance abuse to some extent, so having that safety net there is more important than ever.
The Bottom Line
Blue Cross Blue Shield covers drug and alcohol rehab but what exactly is covered will depend on each specific policy. It’s best to contact your provider to see what your plan covers and if you will have to pay any extra expenses, should you need to access this help.