Each individual is unique. We’re taught this from the time we enter grade school or perhaps even earlier. Our fingerprints are unique, and our faces are just ours. Our personalities may have inherited traits in the way we smile or the way laugh, but ultimately, we are completely our own, universal being. Drug addiction is no different.
Each recovering addict brings to heroin rehab a different set of circumstances. When did he or she begin using heroin? Why? What this their first drug of abuse, or did they work their way to heroin from marijuana or prescription pain medication? Does the individual suffer from another mental health issue besides addiction? Known as a comorbidity or Dual Diagnosis, these psychological conditions may have preceded the drug addiction, or they may have developed as a result of the drug addiction. Either way, it is imperative that both conditions be treated completely and effectively in order for the cost of heroin rehab to be worth the money and time invested.
What Factors Affect the Overall Cost of Heroin Rehab?
One of the first things to consider is what not attending heroin rehab will cost. Heroin is a devastating and dangerous drug that can result in terrible consequences to one’s health – even to one’s life. Unlike some other drugs, heroin overdose can be fatal, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which makes the financial cost of heroin rehab far more palatable than the alternative.
If an individual has medical insurance, it is possible that coverage may defray the cost of heroin rehab as well. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has listed rehab as one of their “Essential Health Benefits” that must be covered by the year 2014. Presently, every insurance policy is different, so it is important to look at the plan coverage to determine whether heroin rehab is a covered expense.
A few questions to ask an insurance provider concerning this issue are:
- Does an individual have to complete or attempt to complete an outpatient program prior to being covered for a residential program?
- What percentage of the costs is the responsibility of the patient or the insured individual?
- Is there an annual or lifetime deductible?
- Is a referral needed from a primary physician to go to heroin rehab?
- Is there a requirement for preauthorization before any treatments are conducted?
If insurance coverage is available, a recovering addict or their family may be able to enlist the help of the treatment center for certain aspects of initiating a covered treatment plan as well.
Additional Ways to Offset the Cost of Heroin Rehab
Another way to help cover the cost of heroin rehab is to enlist the help of friends and family who have an interest in the health and happiness of the heroin abuser. Heroin addictions can cost a great deal of financial resources in terms of missed work, illness and the cost of heroin itself. In the event that the one seeking help does not have the resources to pay for treatment, families can come together to raise funds for the treatment. It is possible they have already been contributing to the illness through loans to cover rent or food expenses due to the individual’s lack of ability to do pay these types of expenses.
The final factor that will determine the overall cost of heroin rehab is the length of time the addict remains in treatment. One individual may need only a few weeks of intensive care, while another may need months of treatment in a residential or outpatient program. The important thing to remember is that active, intensive treatment may be temporary, and the financial burden of heroin rehab is also temporary. The life saved by the treatment, however, is priceless.
If you’d like more information on heroin rehab treatment here at Michael’s House, contact us today. We can also answer any questions you have about paying for care.
