The Cost of Methadone Treatments
The ongoing national opioid crisis has claimed tens of thousands of lives while costing the country billions of dollars annually. In fact, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid misuse in the United States costs around $78.5 billion a year, including healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.
A sad consequence of these numbers is that, while there should be no price tag on saving a life, the costs associated with detoxification and rehabilitation can be prohibitive and can discourage people from getting the help they need. That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to find care and treatment that’s as affordable as it is effective.
Are Free Methadone Clinics Available?
Opioids include both heroin and prescription painkillers such as fentanyl, codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine. The fees charged to help a person beat an addiction to one (or more) of these substances varies depending on the addiction and the type of facility chosen.
One option includes outpatient methadone treatment centers, which have been proven, time and again, to be a powerful tool in treating those struggling with opiate addiction.
While there is no such thing as a free methadone clinic, they can often be the more affordable option when it comes to drug rehabilitation. Depending on the clinic, a patient can either pay for treatment through their health insurance coverage (provided by employers, the military, or private policies) or through state and federal programs such as Medicaid.
How Much Does outpatient Methadone Treatment Cost?
Your health insurance provider can provide you with information on your required co-pays, as well as what is covered under your plan, including treatment at methadone clinics.
As for Medicaid, the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires providers to cover all basic aspects of drug and/or alcohol dependency recovery. For information on what your state program covers, contact your local office.
What if I Don’t Have Insurance?
For those who don’t have insurance or Medicaid, there are standard rate self-pay options to cover the cost of methadone treatments.
While this means that patients will have to cover all of the medical and counseling services provided by RCA, the standard rate is provided before beginning treatment so that patients know what to expect from a financial perspective and can prepare accordingly.
What Does the Cost Methadone Treatments Cover?
In addition to the medically prescribed and distributed methadone treatments at the outpatient clinics, patients get comprehensive medical services (such as physical exams and HIV testing) and individual and group counseling sessions.
RCA focuses on a continuum of care and provides valuable community-based services including educational assistance and vocational support to help those recovering from opioid addiction to reenter the workforce.
No matter what the financial situation, RCA opens its doors to whoever needs help.
