Does BCBS Of Illinois Insurance Cover Inpatient Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers?

If you are one of the many people in Illinois who is in need of inpatient alcohol and drug rehab, you can access your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois insurance plan for treatment. Illinois treatment centers admitted 14,367 individuals in 2021.¹ Your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois benefits offer behavioral health services that you can use for mental health and substance misuse issues.²

A BCBS of Illinois substance use treatment facility can check your insurance coverage for you. You can also call an American Addiction Centers’ admissions navigator, who will verify your coverage.

You can also call the number on the back of your card for more details.

How to Find BCBS of Illinois-Covered Inpatient Drug Treatment Centers in IL

One of the quickest ways to find BCBS of Illinois rehabilitation centers near you is to contact AAC. As previously mentioned, an admissions navigator can quickly verify your insurance coverage. AAC operates treatment centers throughout the United States, and an admissions navigator can help find in-network facilities near you.

Additionally, you can get information about Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois drug treatment providers by using the chat function at the bottom of this page or filling out the form, also found near the bottom of this page.

What is BCBS Of Illinois?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois was founded during the Great Depression in 1936, in Chicago. Its roots were a culmination of people, who shared an interest in helping individuals and families with healthcare, coming together.

Today, there are approximately 8.1 million members, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurance company in Illinois.

BCBS of Illinois offers several plans, such as:³

• Individual and family plans.
• Medicaid plans.
• Medicare plans.

In addition, there are different tiered levels within the plans. These tiers include:⁴

• Bronze.
• Silver.
• Gold.

How Much Does BCBS Of Illinois Cover for Addiction Treatment?

The amount that your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois plan covers for addiction treatment depends on your specific plan. There may be limitations on the amount of time you remain in a certain level of care or the types of treatment covered, for instance. Additionally, even with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois coverage, you may be responsible for some out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments or deductibles, for substance use treatment.

Whichever Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois plan you have, it should cover at least some of your addiction treatment, which may involve several levels of care, including:

• Inpatient treatment program: An inpatient treatment program provides round-the-clock care in a residential or hospital setting, where you remain for the duration of your treatment. Inpatient rehab typically includes a combination of individual and group counseling, behavioral therapies, psychoeducation, and medications (if necessary).⁵
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP): A PHP provides a high level of care but you return home or to a sober living residence at the end of each day. During a PHP, you participate in therapy sessions, counseling, psychoeducation, and more.⁶
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP): An IOP is an outpatient program can serve as a step-down program from inpatient or PHP care, or it can be a point of entry in the continuum of care. During an IOP, you participate in several hours of therapy sessions each week. ⁷
• Outpatient treatment: A standard outpatient program generally consists of participating in evidence-based therapy once or twice a week or maybe even biweekly.⁶

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Cover Addiction Treatment Therapies?

Most alcohol rehab programs include addiction therapy.⁸ Therapy is instrumental in assisting you in the recovery process. Researchers found that through therapy, relapse triggers can be identified and behaviors can be modified, which helps individuals remain in treatment.⁹

Some of the ways therapy aids your recovery include:⁸

• Helping to change your behavior towards drug use.
• Helping you have a healthier perspective on future counseling.
• Helping you build life skills.

Some of the common evidence-based therapies used in rehab include:⁸

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
• Family therapy.
• Motivational interviewing (MI).
• Motivational incentives.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Provide Coverage for Mental Health Facilities?

Many Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois plans provide treatment for mental illnesses, too. The reason for this is because mental health disorders and substance use disorders often co-occur.¹⁰ Co-occurring mental health disorders that commonly occur alongside substance use disorders include:¹⁰

• Anxiety disorders.
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Bipolar disorder.
• Depression.
• Personality disorder.
• Schizophrenia.

Many risk factors contribute to people having co-occurring disorders, including:¹⁰

• Genetic issues. Just like any other disease, you may be predisposed to being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders if someone in your family has been diagnosed with a mental health and/or substance use disorder.¹⁰
• Substance misuse. Misusing any type of substance over time results in changes in brain function and structure. Consequently, this can contribute to the development of a mental health disorder.¹⁰
• Mental health disorders. A mental health disorder makes you feel unwell. This is especially true if it remains untreated or undiagnosed. There is some evidence to suggest that individuals may use substances to relieve symptoms associated with a mental health disorder.¹⁰

Use your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois health coverage to find treatment for co-occurring disorders. Marketplace plans must abide by the mandates of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which states that insurers cannot deny members for substance use. Instead, the ACA ensures that insurance companies, like BCBS of Illinois, provide essential health benefits to their members, which includes treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.¹¹

How Long Does BCBS Of Illinois Insurance Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

The length of stay your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois policy covers varies depending on your plan. And how long you receive treatment depends on your individual needs. Thus, your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois plan may cover all or at least a portion of your addiction treatment.

To put it into perspective, a residential inpatient treatment program typically lasts between 30 and 90 days.¹² However, a treatment plan may include detox and various levels of care as you progress through treatment.⁸

What if My BCBS Of Illinois Policy Does Not Cover an Inpatient Drug Rehab Program?

If your Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois insurance plan doesn’t cover inpatient drug treatment, don’t be discouraged. There are plenty of other ways to pay for treatment. There are drug treatment centers in Illinois that offer financial assistance, including financial aid, scholarships, and sliding scale fee reductions for eligible participants. Don’t let cost be a barrier to getting the help you need.

What’s the Difference Between a BCBS Of Illinois In-Network Provider vs. an Out-of-Network Rehab Center?

Illinois substance use treatment centers that are in-network providers are in a contract with the insurer and, therefore, are able to offer an agreed-upon rate. This savings gets passed on to you, helping to alleviate the costs. If you go to an out-of-network rehab, you may have to pay for the additional costs.

Rehabs That Take Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Insurance 

AAC has various rehab facilities around the country that provide drug and alcohol addiction treatment. If you have a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plan, the following AAC facilities accept Blue Cross Blue Shield for drug and alcohol addiction rehab:

• AdCare Rhode Island: AdCare provides innovative, quality, and cost-efficient addiction treatment in Rhode Island. Its integrated system of care offers an inpatient treatment center in North Kingstown and an outpatient treatment center in Warwick. AdCare’s continuum of care includes detox services, residential treatment, co-occurring disorder treatment, intensive outpatient services, and inpatient services.
• Desert Hope Treatment Center: Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Desert Hope provides individualized care programs as well as a full continuum of care, including detox services, residential treatment, co-occurring disorder treatment, and intensive outpatient services.
• Greenhouse Treatment Center: Greenhouse offers individualized treatment plans and many levels of care, including detox services, residential treatment, co-occurring disorder treatment—all in a luxurious setting with high-end amenities in the Grand Prairie, Texas. The outpatient treatment center in Arlington, provides intensive outpatient services and partial hospitalization services.
• Laguna Treatment Center: Located in Orange County, California, Laguna is a chemical dependency recovery hospital that focuses on treating people who are medically compromised and need 24/7 oversight. Provided care includes detox services, residential treatment, and co-occurring disorder treatment.
• Oxford Treatment Center: Oxford offers evidence-based therapies and an opportunity to connect with nature and try new activities. Provided care includes detox, residential treatment, and co-occurring disorder treatment at the treatment center in Etta, Mississippi. In nearby Oxford, at the outpatient treatment center, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs are offered. There will soon be another outpatient facility opening in Southaven, which will provide services to the Memphis metropolitan area.
• River Oaks Treatment Center: Located in Riverview, Florida, River Oaks provides top-level care for addiction and mental health disorders. River Oaks provides a complete personalized continuum of care, which includes detox, residential treatment, co-occurring disorder treatment, intensive outpatient services, and a partial hospitalization program.
• Recovery First Treatment Center: The South Florida treatment facility offers multiple levels of substance use treatment, including medical detoxification, inpatient/residential care, day treatment (also called partial hospitalization), intensive outpatient care, and aftercare planning.

There are various treatment programs for individuals struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, so don’t give up if the first program you check out doesn’t meet your individual needs. There are rehabs that can provide the treatment you need.