How to Fight Addiction Without Breaking the Bank

Updated on December 21, 2022

If you are trying to fight addiction and abuse, it might seem like there is no way out. The costs of rehab and treatment can be astronomical. National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics data shows that even the cheapest medical detoxification program can cost around $1.75K. However, there are many ways to get help without breaking the bank. Here are some tips on how to find free or low-cost treatment for your addiction.

Search for Sliding Scale Services in Your Area

If you’re trying to fight addiction, but the cost of treatment is too high for your budget, then look for sliding-scale programs. These services will accept your insurance and help you pay for treatment if you don’t have coverage. They may also offer free services, which could be a great option if you live in a state with strict Medicaid requirements or low-income levels.

Sliding scales vary from program to program, so it’s essential to do some research beforehand. For example, some programs might charge $50 per session. In contrast, others charge $100 per session, but both can be considered “sliding scale” because they’ll consider your finances before determining how much money they’ll ask you each month.

There are many ways to find a sliding scale service provider in your area. However, the “Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator” tool from the SAMHSA government site is the best. This tool will take in your address or zip code and provide a list of care providers in your area. You can filter the results to get a list of substance abuse care providers offering a sliding scale fee structure in your area and take treatment.

Look for Rehabs Accepting Your Insurance Coverage

If you have private insurance, the first step is to check with your health insurance company to see if they cover addiction treatment. Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, many private insurance providers, including those like Anthem, are covering mental health and substance abuse treatment in their insurance packages.

If you have private insurance from Anthem or others, you must look for rehab centers that take those insurances. This will significantly lower the fees that will go out of your pocket, as the insurance provider will take care of the costs. Hence, find rehabs that take Anthem insurance if you have that package. Similarly, opt for rehabs accepting Aetna if you have that insurance coverage.

If you don’t have private insurance, it’s important to determine whether or not Medicaid will pay for your rehabilitation costs. Your doctor may also be able to recommend a drug treatment center where he or she has had good experiences working with patients and their insurance companies. You can also ask friends who have been through rehab what type of facility they went to and how much it cost them.

Check Into Scholarships and Grants

If you’re looking to pay for treatment or a rehab program, scholarships and grants are available to help. For example, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association offer scholarships for people with addiction.

You can also get grants from government funds. You can apply for these grants from websites such as grants.gov, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and SAMHSA.

Look at Crowdfunding Programs and Benefits Programs

If you’re struggling with an addiction, you may want to look into crowdfunding programs and benefits programs. Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular way to raise money for a cause, such as addiction treatment. 

Benefits programs are available for people who are unemployed or have lost their jobs. Both benefit from being explored when seeking help with your addiction problem.

One example of a crowdfunding program is GoFundMe, which allows people worldwide to set up fundraising pages on its website to get funding for specific causes that interest them. Other examples include Kickstarter and Indiegogo. These sites feature different types of charitable campaigns.

Opt for Subsidy Coverage

If you’re not eligible for Medicaid coverage but still need help paying for treatment, you can look into a subsidy program offered by some insurance companies. Subsidy programs are another way to decrease the cost of rehab and addiction treatment. They work like this; if your income is below a certain level, you’ll pay nothing out-of-pocket for your addiction treatment services. Your insurance company will cover everything instead.

However, if your income exceeds the cutoff point set by your state’s Medicaid program, usually between $1-$3k per month, these subsidy programs won’t help you. They only apply when someone earns less than that amount each year. But if you qualify based on your income alone, you should consider getting on one of these plans immediately. It could mean saving hundreds or even thousands over time.

Get Help From Family and Friends

Finding the courage to seek help when you’re suffering from addiction can be hard. Sometimes you need someone who knows what it’s like and can understand your struggle to convince you that treatment is the right choice.

That’s where family and friends come in. They are often the first people whose support is needed, and they can also play a role in helping with treatment. They might even be able to help pay for it.

While most rehab centers offer financial assistance options and payment plans, these programs often require letters of recommendation from friends or family before they approve an applicant’s admission into their program. In some cases, this requirement may not be necessary at all.

Are There Any Free Rehab Services Available?

Yes, in most cases. While some treatment centers offer low-rate services, some also give free treatment. These centers take their payment from government funds or through donations. This means you don’t have to do anything for the treatment you get. Such rehab centers can offer free services from the SAMHSA tool mentioned earlier.

You can also get free treatment from NGOs or simply from some people looking to help others. A recent example of this is seen in the physical therapy space. A group of students from Idaho State University collaborated to offer free physical therapies to those in need. Similarly, you can stumble upon many such groups offering substance abuse treatment help if you research appropriately.

Conclusion

If you’re reading this, chances are you have a loved one suffering from an addiction. The first step in helping them clean is educating yourself on the best treatment options available to your family members. Remember, though; there are many different types of rehabs with varying price points and services. This means that it’s important for you to be able to research all of these options so that you can make an informed decision when choosing one for yourself or a loved one.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.