Does self-pay (cash) cover rehab?
Self-pay means paying the program yourself instead of billing insurance. Some people choose it for privacy or because their plan doesn't cover the program, and some programs offer a lower cash rate.
This is general information, not a guarantee of coverage. What your plan pays depends on your plan, your state, whether the program is in network, and whether your plan decides the care is medically necessary. Call the number on your card, then the program, before you start.
What it usually covers, by level of care
| Level of care | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Detox (medically managed withdrawal) | Priced by the day. Ask what the daily rate includes: medical care, medicines, meals and the room. |
| Residential rehab | Priced by the day or the month, and a stay is often weeks long. Ask for the full cost in writing before you start. |
| Partial hospitalization (PHP) | Usually a daily or weekly rate. Ask what's included. |
| Intensive outpatient (IOP) | Usually a weekly or per-session rate, often lower than the higher levels of care. |
| Outpatient therapy and medication | Usually priced by the session. Medications cost extra and a pharmacy sets their price. |
How to check
- If you have no insurance, or choose not to use it, the program must give you a written good faith estimate of the cost when you schedule or ask (a federal rule; it doesn't apply if you're on Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE). If the bill is $400 or more above it, you can dispute it.
- Ask whether the program offers a payment plan, a sliding-scale fee or a lower rate for paying up front.
- Keep your receipts: a program can give you a statement you may be able to submit to your plan for out-of-network benefits.
- If you can't afford care, call SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357. It can point you to your state's publicly funded treatment and to programs with a sliding-scale fee.
Call a program and ask
Call the program and ask them to verify your benefits; it's free and takes a few minutes.
- Do you accept self-pay (cash) for substance use treatment, and for which levels of care?
- Are you in network for my exact plan, and is prior authorization needed?
- What would I pay a day or a week, and when is the next opening for an assessment?
Call the program yourself: Find Care doesn't take your insurance details, collect your name or pass anything to a program for you. This is general information, not a guarantee of coverage. What your plan pays depends on your plan, your state, whether the program is in network, and whether your plan decides the care is medically necessary. Call the number on your card, then the program, before you start.
Sources to check this against: FindTreatment.gov: paying for treatment · CMS: No Surprises Act protections, including good faith estimates · SAMHSA: free and low-cost treatment. Written by Find Care as general information; not reviewed or endorsed by any of them.
Programs that list self-pay (cash)
- Texas 334
- Arizona 230
- Kentucky 207
- Tennessee 177
- Colorado 176
- Louisiana 128
- Missouri 110
- Kansas 96
- Alabama 82
- Arkansas 77
- Oklahoma 76
- New Mexico 74
- Mississippi 56
Counted by organization, only where at least 3 list it. Not every program that takes self-pay (cash) says so publicly.
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If you are in crisis, call or text 988. For help finding treatment, SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357.