How Much Does Rehab Cost?

If you’ve looked into the price of a drug addiction rehab program before, you might have seen some intimidating numbers. Based on 2016 Census Survey data, the average outpatient treatment cost was over $8k, with residential costs averaging over $50k.

Fortunately, that frightening figure isn’t always what patients pay. Alcohol and drug rehab cost less if you know what you’re looking for. There are several ways to reduce the price of a rehab program. 

Below, we’ll walk you through a few different kinds of treatment, so you can understand what exactly your money pays for in an alcohol rehab center. Then we’ll discuss the factors that affect rehab costs and some methods for decreasing that number and taking the sting out of medical bills.

Holistic rehab brings a whole new lease on life. While that comes with a cost, what patients receive in return is priceless.

Types Of Addiction Treatment And Costs

Before asking, “How much does rehab cost?” you’ll need to ask, “Which type of rehab do I need?” The answer will depend on an individual’s addiction and level of functioning. If addiction has completely taken over their life, they will likely want to seek out a more robust rehabilitation program.

Here are five different types of treatment with their average costs to help you or a loved one begin searching for the right choice.

Detox

Detoxing is the first and often most difficult step to achieving sobriety. It’s definitely the most physical—without proper care, detoxing can be extremely uncomfortable. Patients’ bodies have learned to expect these substances and don’t always take kindly to their absence.

This is where detox rehab comes in. Care professionals at an alcohol or drug addiction treatment center provide a safe environment for those who need to get through this rough patch. This typically involves administering medications to ease the discomfort, but some rehabs overdo the meds and risk afflicting patients with a brand-new addiction. The best clinics wean their patients off these medications before releasing them to inpatient care.

Detox Cost

These programs are reported to cost $250-$800 a day, with programs typically lasting seven days. A drug rehab cost typically averages out to $3,675 in total.

Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient treatment involves coming to live at the alcohol or drug treatment center. Patients can benefit from daily supervision, immediate access to professional help, and a controlled regimen of exercise and therapy for their mental health. It’s an extensive type of treatment that teaches patients to build life skills and heal from past trauma.

This is similar to residential treatment, but inpatient programs differ in length—while residential care is long-term and sees patients living in the facility for six months to a year, most inpatient programs last just 1-3 months.

Inpatient Rehab Cost

The cost for this kind of treatment ranges from about $5,000 to $20,000 a month, depending on the type of facility and care offered.

Outpatient Rehab

Outpatient rehab is a type of addiction treatment where individuals receive clinical services, but they aren’t admitted as a patient and don’t live at the facility. When undergoing outpatient rehab, individuals keep their current job or daily schedule and attend meetings in the evenings for 8-12 weeks; it can even be conducted virtually.

Addiction outpatient treatment is best for people whose addiction hasn’t completely taken over their lives yet.

Outpatient Rehab Cost

The cost reportedly ranges between $1,400 and $10,000 a month, with many clinics offering reductions for longer-term treatments.

Medications

Medications are often included in other treatment programs, but some medications, especially those for opioid addictions, are offered as primary solutions. Methadone clinics are the most common facilities of this type, and they are specifically designed for opioid treatment.

While these medications are incredibly useful, research has shown that more holistic and therapy-based methods are more effective than medication alone. Drugs like methadone are best used as an early-stage aid in a many-stage approach.

Medication Cost

The National Institute on Drug Abuse offers these cost estimates for medication-based treatment that includes related support services:

• Methadone – $126 per week
• Buprenorphine – $115 per week
• Naltrexone – $1,176 per month

Therapy and Counseling

Counseling is a major part of any effective treatment plan. During these sessions, a mental health professional will help participants navigate their cravings and any deep-rooted psychological factors with which they might be struggling. They may also include family members or other loved ones to facilitate communication.

Group therapy is another common part of rehab. These sessions can help participants feel less alone and ease the sense of shame that might lead to a relapse.

There are also many other forms of therapy, including:

• Exercise
• Art therapy
• Yoga
• Meditation

These are activities designed to encourage introspection and the development of new hobbies and habits. 

Therapy and Counseling Cost

Therapy and counseling costs vary depending on the type of therapy and if it’s woven into another program.

Factors That Affect The Cost

The total cost of rehab treatment is affected by many different factors, such as:

• Type of center/treatment options – Inpatient and outpatient centers vary in price, as do methadone and non-methadone clinics. Some clinics even offer free programs, but they typically have long wait lists and limited services.

• Length of treatment – Many facilities have you pay by the week or month.

• Amenities – The available services, as well as the luxury status of the facility, can affect how much you’ll pay.

• Location – Drug Abuse Statistics demonstrate how average rehab costs vary by state. Idaho comes in the cheapest at $42,195, with Wyoming the most expensive at about $65,975. California is about average compared to other states at $56,654.

How to Pay For Rehab

Don’t lose hope based on the financials involved with rehab. There are several different ways to source funding for individuals to get help. If you want to know how to pay for rehab, here are some of your options.

Insurance

Does insurance cover rehab? Health insurance is often the ticket to free or inexpensive addiction treatment, but it can be stressful to navigate. The variety of health insurance plans available, eligibility for government programs, and fine print about specific treatments can create a labyrinth of regulations.

Let’s break it down. Here are the basics of paying for rehab with insurance:

• Under the Affordable Care Act, private insurance companies in every state must cover substance abuse treatment, although the amount covered varies.

• Every state has government-provided public insurance called Medicaid, and you might qualify based on income, disability, age, or dependents. Whether or not Medicaid covers substance abuse treatment varies from state to state.

• In California, Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal, which typically covers substance abuse treatments. Some facilities accept Medi-Cal, but their services are often more limited.

• Regardless of what your plan offers, not all insurance is accepted by every treatment facility. You’ll need to find a facility that accepts your specific insurance.

• Some insurance plans will only cover certain types or lengths of addiction treatment.

Financing

Individuals could also try to get the money for a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program together beforehand. The most obvious way to do this is by asking family members for financial help. While this might be challenging, it can be a huge step toward demonstrating to loved ones that individuals want to recover.

For those struggling to meet their financial goals or without family members who can help, loan providers can be a viable strategy. However, patients should remember they’ll have to pay this money back after rehab, and they should be wary of how much they borrow. But if receiving the best treatment in a drug or alcohol rehab center as soon as possible is a top priority, it could be worth it.

Scholarships and Grants

Scholarships are sometimes provided by individual centers, corporations, and nonprofits. These grants are designed for those who have done all they can do to pay for their recovery and are still coming up short. Similar to college scholarships, they are donated to individuals by those who have faith in their recovery.

To find an available grant, individuals should ask around their communities. Social workers and churches frequently have ties to addiction resources and may be able to point you in the right direction. There are also online databases that can help find applicable grant opportunities.

To secure a grant, individuals will need to show the following:

• Financial need
• Steps towards funding taken so far
• Any past attempts at treatment or professional diagnoses
• Long-term goals after treatment

Nonprofit & State-Funded Programs

Some rehab facilities offer no-cost or income-based treatments. These programs are funded either by donors or by the government.

These centers can supply much-needed services to people with no other options, but like facilities that accept public insurance, they’re often limited in the variety and quality of help they can provide. They also have a tendency to fill up fast, making it difficult to get a spot when you need it.

Heal from Addiction with Elevate

Addiction is more than substance abuse. That’s why at Elevate, we treat more than the surface-level symptoms of addiction, instead seeking to transform mindsets and help create more meaningful lives that break addiction cycles. We know that addiction is a manifestation of deeper struggles, and recovering individuals need a safe and nurturing environment where those struggles can be confronted.

Our holistic approach includes practices like meditation, yoga, art therapy, and exercise, as well as regular counseling and group therapy opportunities. We offer interventions, inpatient and outpatient care, detox services, and aftercare assistance so patients have somewhere to turn every step of their journey. 

Elevate also accepts most PPO insurance plans—because help should never be out of reach. Learn more about our drug and alcohol rehab in California today.

Sources: 

1. Healthcare.gov. Health Benefits and Coverage. https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/
2. Healthcare.gov. Medicaid and CHIP. https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/getting-medicaid-chip/
3. Help.org. Scholarships for Drug and Alcohol Rehab. https://www.help.org/scholarships-for-drug-and-alcohol-rehab/
4. Mayo Clinic. Drug addiction (substance use disorder). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20365113
5. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder Research Report https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/medications-to-treat-opioid-addiction/overview
6. World Health Organization. Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310654/