Using Insurance for Drug or Alcohol Rehab in Las Vegas Nevada

Every year, thousands of people seek treatment in Nevada’s 66 mental health facilities.¹ Studies show that over 1,100 Nevadans ages 12 and older use alcohol each month.² Rehab centers in Las Vegas are equipped to assist people with drug or alcohol addiction, with treatments ranging from inpatient to outpatient therapies.

Both public and private insurance companies understand how important it is to get you the help you need. Insurance—including Medicaid, Medicare, VA insurance, and private insurance—can be used to cover part, if not all, of the cost of getting treatment in Nevada. Learning about your options is crucial as you start your recovery journey.

Does Medical Insurance Cover Rehab in Nevada?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that all health insurance plans must cover treatment for behavioral health disorders in some way.³ These behavioral health disorders include substance use disorder as well as co-occurring mental health disorders.³ The ACA also enforces parity protections, which means the limits applied to substance abuse and mental health services cannot be more restrictive than those applied to surgical or medical services. This means that insurance may be able to cover some or all of the cost of your addiction treatment in Nevada.

While insurance can help cover the cost of rehab, the amount covered can vary. What an insurance plan will cover can depend on your length of your stay, treatment intensity, and where in Nevada you receive treatment. Hence, it’s important to check with your insurance provider to determine your coverage before committing to treatment. There are also resources that allow you to check your coverage online.

How to Check Your Insurance for Rehab in Nevada

Before you settle on a rehab center in Nevada, check your insurance to determine the extent of your coverage. The most direct route for checking is through the insurance providers. You can check through their website or portal or by calling their customer service phone number. You can also check with the rehab provider to see what your plan entails and whether they accept it at their facility.

Types of Treatment Covered in Nevada

When you enter one of the rehabs in Las Vegas or anywhere else in Nevada, you will already have a treatment plan in place. Your insurance might only cover some of your stay, leaving you with a certain percentage of the cost left over as a co-payment. Or your insurance might cover the entire stay plus aftercare. Again, the amount covered will depend on the length of your stay, the intensity of your treatment program, and where you stay.

There are multiple types of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and each one is structured a bit differently. The most common types of SUD treatment are:

• Detoxification – Otherwise known as “detox”, this is a precursor to counseling and other therapies in which one allows substances to be filtered out of their body.⁴ While detox can occur naturally, it is common to experience physical withdrawal symptoms that can range from mild to severe and possibly life-threatening. Medical detox helps to increase the safety of the process by providing 24/7 supervision and emergency services. Medications may be prescribed to help lessen the symptoms of withdrawal.
• Inpatient rehab (Residential Rehab) – A treatment setting that includes 24/7 supervision and treatment from a multidisciplinary staff.⁴ This is usually reserved for those with chronic SUDs, serious psychiatric comorbidities, or who have shown no positive responses to less intensive treatments. Residential similarly offers 24-hour supervision for those with chronic SUDs but is geared more for those who do not qualify for hospitalization.⁴ Inpatient rehab can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, while residential rehab can last from a few months to over a year.
• Outpatient treatment – Outpatient treatment is generally considered a step-down from a more intensive inpatient program, and will allow patients to live at home and participate in daily life while still receiving counseling and rehab treatment.⁴ Outpatient programs will generally require at least 9 hours of treatment a week, though can vary in intensity.⁴ This type of rehab is best suited for people who have strong support systems, reliable transportation, motivation, and suitable living arrangements already established.

How to Use Your Insurance Benefits in Nevada

Since insurance for drug rehab can vary, an important first step to using your insurance benefits would be to check with a rehab facility. Ideally, the facility will be in-network with your insurance plan. Next, you will need to verify your coverage with both your selected rehab center and the insurance provider. Both need to give you the green light before you can proceed. If you are given the go-ahead, get all your documentation in order.⁵ You might need pre-authorization, which is essentially a utilization review that prompts you or your doctor to ask for approval before your health plan will agree to pay for your treatment. If you do get denied, you have the right to file an appeal.

Using Private Insurance for Rehab in Las Vegas

You can use private insurance for rehab in Las Vegas and throughout the state of Nevada. For those unaware of what it is, private health insurance refers to plans that are marketed by the private health insurance industry, not by government-run (or public) insurance programs.⁶ Private health insurance is primarily made up of employer-sponsored plans, but some people buy into private insurance outside of the workplace via the individual or family market.⁶

The ACA made private health insurance more affordable on the healthcare marketplace by generating premium subsidies. Individuals making over 400% of the federal poverty level will not qualify for federal financial assistance, but they can deduct some premiums on their tax returns.⁶ Of course, if you fall under the 400% cutoff, you can get federally funded assistance. Many of Nevada’s treatment facilities accept private insurance, but you need to understand that not all of them will be in-network.¹ Deductibles and co-pays can vary depending on whether you go with an in-network or out-of-network provider.

Using Public Insurance for Rehab in Las Vegas

Those with public insurance may also be able to have their insurance plans cover some or all of the cost of rehab. Nevada offers comprehensive public health insurance options, including individual and family plans, short-term plans, Medicaid, and Medicare. You might qualify for Medicaid if you are considered a low-income person. If you are an adult under the age of 65 with a household income up to 131% of the poverty level, you can qualify for Medicaid.⁷ A lot of Medicare beneficiaries are also able to receive assistance through Medicaid, which helps lower Medicare’s expenses (such as long-term care, prescription costs, and premiums).⁷ VA insurance is available for veterans and their families, and current and retired military members can utilize their TRICARE plans through the Department of Defense.

How Much Does Rehab Cost With Insurance in Las Vegas?

The cost of rehab can vary greatly, even with insurance covering some or all of the cost. Quite a few factors contribute to varying costs. The type of care you receive can impact the cost, as inpatient rehab is generally more expensive than outpatient. Luxury rehab centers exist within the state of Nevada, and these high-end facilities certainly cost more than standard rehab facilities or hospitalization. They offer more amenities, such as saunas, transportation, exercise rooms, and full-service salons. Your insurance plan itself can influence how much you pay since each plan has its own copays and deductibles. Also, remember that the longer you stay, the more you (or your insurance provider) pay. Of course, having insurance cover at least part of your stay can make a major difference in how much you end up paying to get on the road to recovery—something that itself is truly priceless.

Finding Las Vegas Rehab Centers That Take Insurance

Finding treatment centers in Las Vegas and throughout the state of Nevada might seem intimidating, but there are plenty of options. You must find a facility where your insurance is accepted as a payment method. Getting in touch with your medical current medical providers and the online directories can help you find the treatment program that best suits your needs. Additionally, American Addiction Centers (AAC) operates a 24/7 helpline that can answer any questions you may still have about paying for rehab in Nevada. AAC also operates Desert Hope, a rehab facility in Las Vegas that works with insurance.