Small Insurance Providers Of Drug Rehab Coverage

Last Updated: March 27, 2024

Dr Daniel Hochman Authored by Daniel Hochman, MD
David Levin Reviewed by David Levin
0 sources cited

Millions of Americans do not have insurance coverage from well-known companies. Instead, they rely on coverage from small insurance providers. For individuals with these plans, understanding their insurance coverage for drug rehab can be difficult.

Small Insurance Providers: What Are They?

Everyone knows the big names in the health insurance game. While these companies hold the lionโ€™s share of health insurance policies in the U.S., they are not all that is out there. Many smaller health insurance providers are relied on by millions across the country.

Small insurance providers tend to be state or local rather than offering coverage at the national level. However, they can be national companies that simply are not well known. They are usually independent and run as non-profit organizations. In many cases, their products are limited, sometimes specializing in specific types of policies or offering many types, but with little in the way of options for customization.

Some examples of small insurance coverage providers are:

  • Rocky Mountain Health Plans in Colorado
  • HCC Medical Insurance Services nationwide
  • CCHP Health Plan in California
  • Arise Health Plan in Wisconsin

Generally speaking, these smaller insurance providers offer more affordable policies than larger companies because they have better connections with the local community and lower overhead, making it easier to negotiate prices and keep their costs low. The easiest way for people to find policies through these companies is to work with an insurance broker in their state.

small insurance provider for drug rehab coverage

Do Small Providers Cover Drug Rehab?

Just as with larger providers, smaller insurance companies will offer drug rehab coverage in some circumstances and not in others. And when they do offer this coverage, there are restrictions.

Deductibles, Premiums, And Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Drug Rehab

While health insurance plans from small providers are often more affordable than those offered by larger ones, there are still fees associated with them. There are specific terms that users should know so they can understand their health insurance for drug rehab. These are premium, deductible, and out-of-pocket expenses.

Premium

The premium for health insurance coverage can be thought of as the subscription cost. This is the money one pays to have access to the productโ€”the insurance coverage for rehab, in this case. It is paid every month, every quarter, twice a year, or once a year, depending on what works best for the individual.

Deductible

A deductible is the amount of money a person must pay towards their healthcare costs each year before insurance coverage will kick in. So if someone needs drug rehab, they may need to pay everything on their own up to a certain amount, at which point the company begins paying. As a rule, the lower the deductible, the higher the premium, and the higher the premium, the lower the deductible.

Out-Of-Pocket Expenses with small insurance providers

Out-Of-Pocket Expenses

In addition to the deductible, there are other out-of-pocket expenses that are part of drug rehab. For example, there may be a copay to pay towards medications and rehab stays, as well as for therapy sessions. There could be coinsurance, which works similarly to copays. When copays and coinsurance percentages are low, the premium tends to be higher. Most plans will have a maximum out of pocket set for a given policy, and once that is reached, the company pays in full.

Drug Rehab Options Covered By Small Providers

In general, drug rehab will be covered by small provider insurance policies so long as the services are considered essential. However, there can be limits even on essential services.

Other aspects of drug rehab that are likely to be covered by small providers are:

However, what is and is not covered is specific to a given policy, and users should take time to check their coverage before trying to enroll in a substance abuse rehab.

When Users Cannot Find Coverage During Open Enrollment

However, the only time someone can start a policy is during the open enrollment periods. Outside of these periods, these plans are not available.

Given that the need for substance abuse treatment does not stick to the open enrollment schedule, someone may find themselves in need of a new insurance plan at another time of year. Luckily, there are still plans offered that are outside of the exchange. These plans can be entered into whenever the company allows, with many having rolling enrollment periods that essentially leave them open at all times. Users can seek out these policies through an insurance broker.

When Drug Rehab Insurance Is Critical

If someone has insurance coverage through a small provider, they may be able to get help paying for drug rehab. All they need to do to find out is to verify their coverage. It is better to get insurance which covers substance abuse treatment before an urge.


Page Sources

  1. Private plans outside the Marketplace outside Open Enrollment. HealthCare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/private-plan-exceptions-outside-open-enrollment/.
  2. Your total costs for health care: Premium, deductible & out-of-pocket costs. HealthCare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/choose-a-plan/your-total-costs/.

Published on: October 2nd, 2019

Updated on: March 27th, 2024

Comments

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

A treatment center will attempt to verify your health insurance benefits and/or necessary authorizations on your behalf. Please note, this is only a quote of benefits and/or authorization. We cannot guarantee payment or verification eligibility as conveyed by your health insurance provider will be accurate and complete. Payment of benefits are subject to all terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the memberโ€™s contract at time of service. Your health insurance company will only pay for services that it determines to be โ€œreasonable and necessary.โ€ The treatment center will make every effort to have all services preauthorized by your health insurance company. If your health insurance company determines that a particular service is not reasonable and necessary, or that a particular service is not covered under your plan, your insurer will deny payment for that service and it will become your responsibility.


This will close in 0 seconds

Your addiction does not have to define who you are.

You deserve excellent care and a rewarding life in recovery.