How to Pay for Addiction Treatment

People who have been struggling with addiction have many apprehensions when it comes to treatment.

Some are afraid of the withdrawal symptoms, some think they will be stereotyped by society, and some are more practically unsure if they are ready to do treatment when it comes to their finances. The fear of a lack of budget is legitimate, especially for young adults who have no stable income or those who have been struggling for so long that they have lost their jobs or the habit has sabotaged their financial life.

Because of this, many will try home detoxification which can work but puts you at a high risk of relapse and eventual failure. See the Addiction Guide - guiding you from addiction to recovery.

The best treatment, still, is at a professional facility where you can have 24/7 monitoring and medical support so that you can effectively manage your withdrawal.

If you are struggling with addiction and want an effective way out, you have to go to a medical facility. And you should not worry about paying because this side of society is here to help you.

Here’s How Your Treatment Can Get Compensated:

Family and Friends

While this might not be an available option for many, they are people who you can depend on, given that they are not addicts themselves. But indeed there are at least a few people who will be willing to help you from this side of your circle.

The least you can do is call out for help. And if they cannot directly help you with finance, at least you have people who will assist you in finding your way to treatment.

Medicare and Medicaid

You, your family, and your friends can go for state-sponsored health benefits. These options are available for rehabilitation costs for qualified persons, so it would be best to check them when lacking funds.

These are insurance programs that can pay for alcohol or drug addiction treatment but with different eligibility requirements.

For example, to qualify for Medicaid, you must be over under 19 or over 65 or pregnant or a parent and have a relatively low to below-average income.

For Medicare, you must be over 65 or disabled to have help with your rehabilitation payments.

Private Funding and Financing

Rehabilitation can cost a significant amount of money if you have to stay for long in a facility. Hence, it might be necessary for you to secure financing from private sources, especially if you are uninsured or unable to qualify for state or federal financial benefits.

The good news is that there are addiction treatment facilities that offer scholarships or sponsorships that you can acquire. All you will have to do is to talk to the admission office of the facility when you decide to go for treatment.

As stated earlier, this side of society will pull strings to help you as long as you are willing to go through the entire process.

Financing Plans

When a facility is unable to get you a sponsor, you will be given other options like a financing plan that you can process after you are discharged from treatment.

The facility will gladly discuss with you any comfortable financing options.

One option involves an IRA or a 401 plan that might be necessary to cover part of your treatment costs. Or, if your home has equity, you could possibly access money via a home equity loan to use for rehabilitation services payments.

Fundraising or Crowdfunding

Fundraising or crowdfunding is one way for your family and friends to help you. Ask them to send the money directly to the rehabilitation center so that nobody will question where the funds are going and how they are being used.

Also, they can start getting money through crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe or Patreon.

State and Local Government Programs

There are state-run or government-managed alcohol and drug addiction treatment programs that are available to the public. Each state has programs that can either be run by a separate agency or included with an overseeing health department.

These programs offer either outpatient care, inpatient rehabilitation, or both. And these also include aftercare and support services to help you in the long run.

To avail of these programs, you must have their requirements to qualify for assistance. The requirements include proof of citizenship, residence in the state where the program runs, your addiction history, and why you are incapable of paying for treatment yourself.

However, since this option is almost completely free, there’s a large queue that you have to wait on.

SAMHSA Grants

SAMSHA or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association is one source of federal funding for addiction treatment programs in states. These grants are used for drug and alcohol treatment, prevention, and other programs.

Selling Some Belongings

It is vital that you get treatment for your substance addiction, most especially if you have a severe level of dependence that significantly debilitates your quality of life.

So it is reasonable if you sell items of value like sports equipment, gadgets, art collections, musical instruments, cars, boats, memorabilia, jewelry, and others to gather up the money that you need for rehabilitation. After all, what are they to you if you are unable to enjoy them because of your situation?

Go ahead and sell things that are non-essential to your survival. Focus on bringing back your quality of life first.

Non-Profit Treatment Centers

There are plenty of non-profit rehabilitation centers and addiction treatment programs that are available to you at little or zero cost.

For example, The Salvation Army has a program that does not require any payment as long as you are willing to go through their 40-hour week to pay for boarding. You will also have to work in their warehouses with jobs like sorting donations or helping with administrative tasks, which are a worthy exchange for the six-month free treatment program.

Another example is Teen Challenge which is a non-profit organization that offers treatment for teens and adults for a minimal cost.

Learn much more about Addiction Treatment Resources here.