Using Insurance to Pay for Rehab in Kansas City

As you consider seeking treatment for your alcohol or drug addiction, one thing that can help alleviate some of the stress is knowing that your insurance will cover some, or all, of the cost of treatment. 

As you dive into seeing what using insurance for rehab services will look like for your plan, you’ll encounter all kinds of options: from choosing an in-network or out-of-network program to deciding what level of care you want to pursue. Rather than get overwhelmed by the choices, read on to get a solid overview of what it looks like to pay for addiction treatment with insurance at our alcohol and drug rehab in Kansas City. 

Does Insurance Cover Rehab?

The vast majority of health insurance plans cover treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Any health plan sold on your state’s Marketplace is legally obligated to provide coverage for addiction treatment, as mental health and substance abuse services are considered essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010.¹

With the expansion of coverage from the ACA, addiction treatment services are more accessible than ever before. At Empowered Recovery Kansas City, we work with in-network and out-of-network plans from the most popular health insurance carriers across the country. By partnering with a variety of health insurances, we aim to make our care as affordable as possible for anyone seeking treatment.¹ 

Types of Rehab Covered by Insurance 

Every person’s addiction treatment journey is unique to their specific situation. Some people require more medical care, for example, while others can achieve sobriety through a balance of outpatient care and lifestyle changes. 

At the same time, each insurance plan is also unique. Some will cover the majority of drug and alcohol treatment, while others are more particular in the treatment they’ll pay for. Insurance companies also may be willing to pay out different rates for different programs. 

To help familiarize you with the terminology, these are the different levels of rehab that insurance can cover: 

• Detox Programs: When a patient needs to medically detox, a specialized detox program will ensure all their medical needs are met throughout the process. 
• Inpatient/Residential Rehab: When patients need around-the-clock care or supervision, inpatient treatment is often the best avenue. Residential treatment can last anywhere from 30 days to six months. 
• Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP): While still an outpatient program (meaning the patient continues to live at home), this level of care requires a dedicated schedule of different medical and therapy appointments.
• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): This level of care is for patients who can remain at home, but need more intensive therapeutic support throughout their week.
• Standard Outpatient Rehab: Patients can continue experiencing many aspects of their daily lives (like working and parenting) while integrating support and therapy into their weekly schedule. 
• Aftercare: As a patient transitions back into their everyday life after treatment, they can utilize aftercare for continued support.*

*At Empowered Recovery Kansas City, we offer our patients a year of aftercare support at no extra cost — meaning you don’t need to get approval from your insurance company for this additional support.

Insurances Accepted at Empowered Recovery

Out-of-Network Insurances 

Many people have out-of-network insurance policies they use to pay for addiction treatment. This is a great option for patients who want more flexibility in choosing their rehab. 

For example, rather than choosing from a small number of in-network programs, someone with an out-of-network plan can select a program they strongly connect with, which uses modalities and techniques they believe will make a real difference in their addictive patterns.

At Empowered Recovery Kansas City, we regularly work with insurance companies we’re not in-network with, including:

• Aetna
• Cigna
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Magellan Health
• UMR
• GEHA
• ComPsych
• And More

When using out-of-network insurance that covers rehab, the patient may be responsible for paying the cost of the program upfront themselves (if their insurance plan won’t pay up front). After (or sometimes during treatment), however, many out-of-network plans will reimburse the patient between 50-80% of the overall cost of their treatment.

If you want to see what your out-of-network drug rehab insurance coverage would be, contact your insurance provider to learn about your benefits, or reach out to us, and one of our dedicated staff members will verify your insurance coverage on your behalf.  

Getting Coverage Through A Qualifying Life Event 

Ordinarily, you can only sign up for insurance coverage once a year during open enrollment (which is typically between November and January). However, there are certain circumstances that trigger a “special enrollment period,” which opens up another window when you can sign up for health benefits.² 

These qualifying life events include:²

• Losing your job
• Losing your health insurance
• Getting married or divorced
• Having a child 
• Death in the family
• Moving states or to another zip code

If you’re experiencing a qualifying life event and know it’s time to seek treatment from your drug or alcohol addiction, you can secure health insurance to support you in paying for rehab with insurance. Contact your chosen insurance provider for more information on signing up for a plan. 

How Do I Check My Insurance Coverage?  

Sometimes the benefits packet that accompanies your insurance policy is a bit difficult to decode. To make sure you have health insurance that covers drug rehab, you can call the customer service phone number on the back of your insurance card. They’ll be able to explain what benefits your in-network or out-of-network policy includes. 

Additionally, if you’d rather hand off the phone to someone who regularly works with insurance agents, give our rehab admissions team a call. We’ll relay the information to you and answer any questions you have about the admissions or insurance submission process. 

If you’re wanting to quickly learn about your benefits right from your phone or laptop, fill out our online form, and we’ll verify your insurance benefits promptly. 

Get Admitted to Rehab in Kansas City 

Checking out your insurance coverage is a great way to begin your journey to recovery. Armed with that information, you’re now able to research the components of an addiction treatment program that will make a real impact on your life. 

At Empowered Recovery Kansas City, we offer customized treatment plans for each and every patient. We’ll work with you to determine what’s most important for you to incorporate into your care. 

If you decide you want to partner with us, we’ll walk you through our straightforward rehab admissions process to get your treatment started as soon as possible. And if you have any questions at any stage of the process, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We know this can be a trying time, and our team is here to support you in taking this important first step. 

To discuss using insurance for rehab or any other questions you have, reach our Empowered Recovery Kansas City team directly through our contact page or give us a call.

References 

1. https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/
2. https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/qualifying-life-event/