Is Inpatient Rehab Worth the Cost?

Oftentimes, the biggest inhibitor to an inpatient program is the cost. However many insurance companies will pay for at least part of your inpatient costs.

When thinking about rehab, you’ll find you have some choices to make. Which treatment center will you go with? Should you travel far away, or stick close to home? Will you do an outpatient or inpatient program?

Choosing the right treatment can be a task in itself. Today, we want to cover the outpatient vs. inpatient debate, and why we recommend doing an inpatient program whenever possible.

The difference is simple: in an inpatient program, you live at a recovery center for treatment. In an outpatient program, you continue living at home and travel to the treatment center throughout the week for therapy and medicine administration.

Benefits of An Inpatient Treatment Program

An inpatient program removes you from your normal environment.

You’ll have the time to focus on recovery, which is especially important if your home environment is full of stressors and easy access to drugs or alcohol.

One of the biggest benefits of an inpatient program is that it gives you a safe place to explore a new way of living. You’ll have doctors on hand 24/7, which is especially important during drug and alcohol detox. You’ll also have regular interaction with other people in recovery. It’s often the case that the relationships you make in rehab will often become a big part of your support system even after you’ve all moved on.

Benefits of An Outpatient Treatment Program

Many people go with outpatient programs because they can usually continue their normal work and responsibilities, and insurance tends to cover outpatient costs better than inpatient costs. Staying close to friends and family can be a big positive for some people, especially if you have children to care for.

Related Topic: Benefits of intensive outpatient treatment

Which Is Better?

Both inpatient and outpatient programs have produced tons of success stories and are both viable ways for reclaiming a sober life. That said, we often recommend inpatient programs over outpatient ones. Here’s why:

An outpatient program lets you continue your normal life, but sometimes that’s not a positive. Your home life might be triggering, the liquor store might be just down the street—you’ll be subject to the same environment that feeds your addiction.

Also, many addictions are also closely tied to co-occurring disorders such as depression. These kinds of underlying mental health problems often go undiagnosed until the individual enters rehab. Individuals with co-occurring disorders can especially benefit from the added focus and supervision that’s provided in an inpatient program.

Finally, outpatient programs tend to be easier to abandon. At least one study suggests that patient in outpatient programs are four times more likely to drop out of treatment than those in inpatient programs. Arranging transportation to a recovery center every day is tough, and it’s tempting to just take a night off. Outpatient programs take more willpower.

Will Insurance Cover Inpatient Rehab?

Oftentimes, the biggest inhibitor to an inpatient program is the cost. A 30-day inpatient program can range from $2,000 to over $25,000 depending on what’s included in your treatment and how luxurious the center is.

Luckily, insurance can help make it much more affordable.

Many insurance companies will pay for at least part of your inpatient costs. This is especially likely if your doctor has decided your case is severe enough to deem inpatient care “medically necessary.” Private insurance tends to provide the best drug rehab coverage, though public insurance like Medicare and Medicaid offer drug rehab coverage options as well.

If you’re not sure what your plan covers, talk to your insurance company (here’s what to ask about). They’ll be able to walk you through exactly what your final costs will be.

And if your insurance plan does not cover inpatient drug rehab, you still have several options. Some rehab centers offer scholarships to those with demonstrated need. A family member may even be willing to lend you some money as well if they know it’s going directly to your treatment.

Want More Information on How to Pay For Inpatient Rehab?

At The Recovery Village, we accept most major forms of insurance and are committed to helping you receive the care you need. Bring your questions to one of our compassionate representatives at  888.503.1595