Amerigroup is a health insurance provider for families and individuals who live in Maryland and do offer different types of plans for its members. Anyone who is struggling with a substance abuse problem and is covered by Amerigroup can use their insurance plan to help cover some or all the cost of treatment. Amerigroup does have a substance use program, which includes providing treatment for substance use disorders and other mental health problems. It is not always easy to afford substance abuse treatment in Maryland or have to wait on lengthy waitlists with state-funded programs. Health insurance providers such as Amerigroup will have treatment providers available, for you to get in contact with and receive the proper help. For many people who live in Maryland, struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction is a difficult problem, and many do struggle to access the help they need. Health insurance providers such as Amerigroup will give families, individuals, and anyone who is covered, access to programs and services, that will be covered by their individual or family health insurance plan.
Ask a Professional
Will my insurance pay for my rehab?
Maybe. Generally, the more severe the person’s addiction is, the more likely an insurance company will pay. The determining factor in getting coverage is if the insurance provider believes you need it. Insurance companies have a team of medical professionals that review all claims submitted. If they disagree that the person needs drug rehab, they don’t pay. All this being said, you must ensure the facility you want to attend accepts your insurance.
How do I know if a drug rehab accepts my insurance?
The easiest way to know if your policy is accepted is to call the treatment facility and give them your insurance information. They will be able to let you know if your insurance is accepted and verify your benefits to provide you with an idea of how much coverage you will get. Another way is to ask your insurance provider for a list of treatment facilities they work with. Doing so can save a lot of wasted phone calls to facilities that don’t accept your policy.
Do all health insurance policies cover drug rehab treatment?
Yes. Between the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act of 2010, all insurance providers must offer some form of substance abuse treatment coverage. The level of coverage varies between insurance providers and policies. Generally, more expensive private health insurance policies cover at a higher rate. It’s important to note that treatment facilities may limit the type of policies they accept. Even if your insurance plan has coverage, it may not be taken at the drug rehab you want to attend.
Can I purchase a policy specifically to cover treatment?
Technically, there’s no reason someone can’t purchase a policy specifically to cover their addiction treatment. What makes it challenging is private health insurance companies have developed tactics to prevent people from quickly purchasing a policy to avoid a significant expense like addiction treatment and then dropping the policy afterward. To prevent this financial loss, they only allow people to but policies during a certain period of the year, known as "open enrollment." Open enrollment can be a window as small as a few weeks out of the year, forcing people to wait until that time to get coverage. Other policies have "blackout periods" where major services like substance abuse treatment aren’t yet covered. Blackout periods usually last for one year, meaning the person must pay to keep the policy active for twelve continuous months before it will pay for any portion of an addiction treatment service.
How are Medicaid and private health insurance different?
Medicaid is free health insurance subsidized by each state and offered to qualified residents. To obtain Medicaid coverage, a person must demonstrate financial hardship that prevents them from getting private health insurance. Private health insurance is not free. It is purchased by individuals from insurance companies or may be provided through employment.
The questions from Addicted.org's "Ask a Professional" are answered by Michael Leach, CCMA. If you need further clarification on any of the questions above or have any other questions you can contact him directly at M.Leach@Addicted.org..
What's Next?
After completing a drug rehab in Maryland covered by Amerigroup, aftercare support is the next step. It is challenging to know what aftercare should be considered. However, the most common approaches include outpatient programs, sober living homes, sober coaching, or recovery meetings. Many of these aftercare options are available in Maryland. The goal is to help you or your loved one continue the recovery journey.
