Paying for treatment

Understanding the cost of treatment

Understanding the costs of and how to pay for treatment can be hard and confusing. Unfortunately, resources aren’t always well organized or easy to find. The best way to make sure you choose care that you can afford is by asking questions, taking notes, and making sure you know what kind of support you’re eligible for.

Don’t let money stop you from finding treatment. There are free and low-cost facilities across the country, and many others accept Medicaid or private insurance. Your state also has funding set aside to help people without insurance afford treatment.

Does insurance cover substance use treatment?

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 requires health insurers and group health plans to provide the same level of benefits for mental and/or substance use treatment and services that they do for medical and surgical care. That means your insurance company can’t tell you “we don’t do substance abuse treatment” or “mental health isn’t covered." If they do this, they’re breaking the law.

If you’ve been denied coverage for treatment, this Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help tool can help you find the right resources to solve issues with your insurance.

(Page published: October 2019)