A free guide from Cima Find Care

What does detox cost, and who pays?

Cost shouldn't stop you from getting safe care today. Most people don't pay the full price of detox: private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and state-funded programs all pay for it, and people with no insurance can often get it free or on a sliding scale. Here's how each one works in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Mississippi, and what to ask when you call.

By Ryan Coane, LCDC-I. Updated October 27, 2026. General information, not insurance or legal advice: benefits change, so confirm with your plan and the program before you go.

Help right now: if someone in withdrawal has a seizure, severe confusion, hallucinations or trouble breathing, call 911. Under the federal EMTALA law, hospital emergency rooms must check and stabilize you whether or not you can pay. In a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988, any time. SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential and open 24/7, and can refer you to state-funded programs if you have no insurance.

The short answer

Have insurance? Call the member number on your card. Ask whether detox is covered, which programs are in network, and whether it needs approval first.
Have Medicaid? Medicaid covers detox in most of these states, with different rules in each (see the table). Call your health plan or the program.
No insurance? Call SAMHSA's helpline, 1-800-662-4357, or your state's line in the list below. State-funded programs serve people who can't pay.
Don't wait on paperwork if withdrawal is dangerous. Go to the ER.

What changes the price

There's no public price list for detox, and we didn't find a reliable, current source for typical prices in these states, so we won't guess. What you'd pay depends on:

The setting. Outpatient detox, where you sleep at home and visit a clinic, generally costs far less than 24-hour care at a residential program, and a hospital costs the most. Our guides on alcohol detox and opioid withdrawal explain which setting fits whom.
How many days. Most programs charge by the day.
Medicines, lab tests and doctor visits, which may be billed separately.
Your coverage: whether the program is in network, your deductible, and your copay or coinsurance.

For a sense of scale, Louisiana Medicaid's 2026 fee schedule pays programs $425.61 a day for medically managed residential detox and $202.38 a day for ambulatory (outpatient) detox. That's what Medicaid pays the program, not what you'd owe: Medicaid members don't pay it, and private prices can be very different.

If you're paying yourself, ask the program for its daily rate and a written estimate of the total before you're admitted, and ask whether it has a sliding fee based on income.

Private insurance

Marketplace and small-business plans must cover substance use treatment. HealthCare.gov says all Marketplace plans cover mental health and substance use disorder services as one of the 10 "essential health benefits," with no yearly or lifetime dollar limits, and that a substance use disorder can't be held against you as a pre-existing condition.
Large employer plans may differ. HealthCare.gov says large employers that self-insure don't have to cover the essential health benefits, though many do. Ask your HR office or the plan.
Parity. Under the federal parity law, when a plan covers substance use care, its limits can't be stricter than for comparable medical and surgical care. HealthCare.gov says that includes costs (deductibles, copays, coinsurance), limits on days or visits, and rules like getting approval before treatment.
Prior authorization. Many plans want detox approved before or soon after you're admitted. Usually the program asks for it, but check that someone has, so you don't get a surprise bill.
Network. Out-of-network programs can cost much more, or not be covered at all, depending on your plan.

More on this in does insurance cover rehab?

Medicaid, state by state

Medicaid is free or very low cost health coverage for people with low incomes. Each state runs its own program, under its own name, and most members are in a managed care health plan. Here's what we could confirm from each state's own materials about detox (also called withdrawal management).

State and program	What we confirmed about detox
Texas: Texas Medicaid (most members are in STAR or STAR+PLUS health plans)	The Texas Medicaid provider manual lists withdrawal management among covered substance use services: outpatient for mild to moderate withdrawal, residential when outpatient wouldn't be safe, and hospital care when needed. Outpatient and residential withdrawal management need prior authorization, which the program requests (within 3 business days of admission), for up to 21 days at a time.
Louisiana: Louisiana Medicaid (most members are in Healthy Louisiana plans)	Louisiana Medicaid's 2026 behavioral health fee schedule includes medically managed residential withdrawal management (ASAM 3.7-WM) and ambulatory detox (2.7). LDH says to ask your health plan about prior authorization.
Oklahoma: SoonerCare (many members are in SoonerSelect plans)	SoonerCare's residential substance use treatment rules (OAC 317:30-5-95.43, revised September 2025) include medically monitored inpatient withdrawal management for adults (ASAM 3.7) at programs certified by the state mental health and substance abuse agency. OHCA's member benefits page lists detox and residential substance use services as covered, with prior authorization required.
Arkansas: Arkansas Medicaid (people with high behavioral health needs may be in a PASSE plan)	The Arkansas Medicaid outpatient behavioral health manual covers substance abuse detoxification, short-term, in a crisis unit, inpatient or outpatient setting, for youth and adults. It's limited to 6 episodes a state fiscal year; more need an approved extension.
Missouri: MO HealthNet	MO HealthNet pays for detox through CSTAR, its substance use treatment program run with the Department of Mental Health. The 2026 CSTAR manual includes withdrawal management from ambulatory (outpatient) to medically monitored inpatient care. CSTAR is paid directly by MO HealthNet, not through the managed care plans, so ask a CSTAR program.
Kansas: KanCare	The KanCare substance use disorder provider manual (updated October 2025) covers acute detoxification with 24-hour medical and nursing care, when your health plan finds it medically necessary. KanCare's substance use demonstration, approved by CMS through 2028, also covers withdrawal management during short stays in residential facilities. Ask your KanCare health plan which programs are in network.
Mississippi: Mississippi Medicaid (many members are in MississippiCAN plans)	We couldn't confirm detox coverage in the Division of Medicaid's current published rules. Its website has described substance use services as including inpatient detoxification, but we couldn't load that page to check that it's current. Call the member number on your card, and ask the program whether it takes Mississippi Medicaid for detox.

Who qualifies depends on your state. Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri expanded Medicaid to adults with low incomes. Texas, Kansas and Mississippi have not, according to KFF's tracker, so in those states most adults qualify only if they're pregnant, a parent or caretaker with very low income, older, or disabled. HealthCare.gov says to apply anyway, because you may qualify another way, or for help paying for a Marketplace plan.

In every state: call the member services number on your Medicaid card, ask which detox programs are in your plan's network, and ask the program to confirm it takes your specific plan. If you think you might qualify but aren't enrolled, apply now, and ask the program whether it can help you apply.

Medicare, TRICARE and the VA

Medicare: Medicare.gov says Part A covers care when you're admitted to a general or psychiatric hospital, and Part B covers outpatient substance use treatment, including at opioid treatment programs. Ask a detox program that isn't a hospital whether it takes Medicare. With a Medicare Advantage plan, call the plan: it has its own network.
TRICARE: TRICARE lists withdrawal management (detox) and emergency and non-emergency inpatient care among the substance use services it may cover, when medically necessary. Call your regional contractor to check the rules for your plan.
Veterans: VA health care offers medically managed detox to enrolled veterans. Call your VA medical center, or the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

No insurance: state-funded and sliding-scale care

Every state gets a federal Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant from SAMHSA, and states use it, with their own money, to pay for treatment for people who can't afford it. Who qualifies, and how long the wait is, varies. SAMHSA's helpline says that if you have no insurance or not enough, it will refer you to your state office that runs state-funded treatment, or to programs that charge on a sliding scale.

Texas: the state pays for withdrawal management for adult Texas residents with a substance use disorder who qualify by income; some people pay part. Call a program, or your regional OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral) line, listed on HHSC's OSAR page, any time of day. You can also reach OSAR through 2-1-1 Texas or 877-541-7905. OSAR's only requirement is living in Texas.
Mississippi: the Department of Mental Health runs the public substance use system through community mental health centers, and lists withdrawal management among the residential services at most of them. Its Helpline, 1-877-210-8513, is staffed around the clock.
Oklahoma: the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services says treatment through its OK I'm Ready program is available regardless of ability to pay. Oklahoma's 988 line, run by that department, can connect you to a community mental health center or addiction recovery center.
Arkansas: DHS provides state-funded substance use treatment for people without insurance, through providers in 8 regions. Its Mental Health and Addiction Support Line is 1-844-763-0198 (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Missouri: the Department of Mental Health's programs set cost by your ability to pay and offer detox; its Primary Recovery Plus program serves people without Medicaid. Call the Division of Behavioral Health at 800-575-7480.
Louisiana and Kansas: call SAMHSA's helpline, 1-800-662-4357, and ask for state-funded detox near you, or call or text 988.

In any state, FindTreatment.gov lets you filter programs by payment type, including sliding fee and free care.

Federal rules also say programs paid by the block grant must give pregnant women priority for admission. If you're pregnant, say so when you call.

Other places to look: detox programs listed on Cima Find Care with a sliding-scale fee, like these in Houston and Dallas. For follow-up care after detox, federally funded community health centers serve people whether or not they have insurance, with fees on a sliding scale; find one through HRSA.

Questions to ask on the phone

Do you take my insurance (or Medicaid plan) for detox? Give the exact plan name on your card.
Is it outpatient or 24-hour care? And is a doctor or nurse there around the clock?
Will you get the approval (prior authorization)? What happens if the plan says no?
What will I owe? Ask about the deductible, copay or coinsurance, and anything billed separately, like medicines, lab tests or the doctor.
If I'm paying myself, what's the daily rate, is there a sliding fee, and can I get a written estimate?
Do you get state funding for people without insurance? Is there a waiting list?
Do you offer medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder, or can you start it before I leave?
What happens after detox? Will you set up my next level of care, and is it covered?
How soon can I come in, and what should I bring?

Find detox that takes your coverage

Cima Find Care lists the insurance each program names. Programs that list Medicaid for detox:

Texas: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin
Louisiana: New Orleans
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City and Tulsa
Arkansas: Little Rock
Missouri: St. Louis and Kansas City
Kansas: Wichita
Mississippi: Jackson

A listing shows what a program says it takes; always confirm by phone. Private insurance in Texas: Houston, Austin. Medicare: Houston, San Antonio. Not sure what you need? Answer four quick questions. Nationwide, SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov lets you filter by payment type.

Questions people ask

How much does detox cost without insurance?

It depends on the setting and the number of days, and there's no reliable public price list. Ask the program for its daily rate and a written estimate. Before you pay full price, ask about state funding and sliding fees: many people without insurance can get detox free or at reduced cost.

Does Medicaid pay for detox?

In Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas, we confirmed in each state's own Medicaid materials that detox (withdrawal management) is covered, with rules that differ by state. In Mississippi, we couldn't confirm it from the state's rules, so call your plan. Either way, the program must take your specific plan.

Does insurance have to cover detox?

Marketplace and small-business plans must cover substance use disorder services as an essential health benefit. Large employer plans that self-insure don't have to, but most cover it, and if they do, the parity law keeps their limits in line with medical care. Your plan decides whether a specific stay is medically necessary, often through prior authorization.

What if my insurance denies detox?

Ask the plan for the reason in writing, and ask the program to help you appeal. HealthCare.gov says insurers must tell you why they denied a claim, must speed up the appeal when the case is urgent, and that you can also ask for an outside (external) review. If withdrawal is dangerous, go to the ER: emergency rooms must check and stabilize you either way.

Is the ER free?

No, but you can't be turned away. Hospitals with emergency rooms must screen and stabilize people with an emergency whether or not they can pay. You may get a bill later; ask the hospital about financial assistance.

Will detox be the whole cost?

Usually not. Detox treats withdrawal, but most people need treatment afterward, like residential care, PHP, IOP or outpatient counseling, which is billed separately. Ask what the next step will cost before you leave detox. Our IOP vs PHP guide explains those levels.