
By the time many of these individuals reached adulthood, they were struggling financially, emotionally, and physically because of the damage caused by addiction.
Such barriers can make it seem impossible for addicted individuals to get the help that they need at an addiction treatment center.
Yet many insurance companies, such as Carefirst, provide coverage for addiction treatment and alleviate the concerns associated with the cost of going to a rehab center.
Does Carefirst Cover Addiction Treatment?
Figuring out how to use Carefirst to pay for addiction treatment is a fairly simple process, but an addicted person has to make sure that they can pay their deductible first.
Carefirst insurance offers both health maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans.
The deductibles for both plans are the same. The only difference is that policyholders are able to choose their own doctors with an HMO plan, but they often pay more for this option. Because of this, Carefirst breaks down their plans into separate levels for both types.
The first level is the bronze plan. It has a very high deductible, so after policyholders pay it, they have no further out-of-pocket expenses.
The second plan is the silver plan. Its deductible is half of the amount of the bronze plan. With it, policyholders have to begin paying out-of-pocket expenses.
The gold plan has a deductible that is about a third of the amount of the bronze plan. Carefirst also offers a catastrophic plan for young adults, prescription plans, and dental and vision assistance plans.
Not all of the plans cover drug and alcohol treatment, so it is important that policyholders check with the company first to understand which treatment options are available to them.
How To Use Your Carefirst Plan To Pay For Addiction Treatment
The Carefirst health insurance company is a sister company of the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) company. So policyholders who want to know how to use Carefirst to pay for addiction treatment can usually contact any of the local BCBS companies for more information.
What makes Carefirst a good insurance company for those who have a drug or alcohol addiction is that they have a special substance use recovery program.
Policyholders who sign up for the program are able to get inpatient and outpatient care, counseling, and educational information for both them and their doctor.
If patients are willing to participate in the insurance company’s substance use recovery program, many of their costs will be waived. The amount of fees that are waived depends on the plan.
Interestingly enough, since there is a serious opioid epidemic in the United States that has been causing many deaths due to overdose, Carefirst set up a page on their website to help bring awareness to the situation.
They also created a behavioral health services department that works with those who have an addiction to make sure that they can meet with a psychiatrist or therapist.
List Of Carefirst Plans By State
Because Carefirst is an affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield, plans are only available in select states.
The following is a list of the states which offer Carefirst health insurance plans:
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
Finding A Rehab Center That Accepts Carefirst
Since there are only three places in the United States that have rehab centers that accept Carefirst insurance, using Carefirst insurance to pay for rehab can be a little tricky.
This is especially true if a policyholder has a preferred provider plan that limits their treatment options.
There can also be confusion regarding using Carefirst insurance for rehab when an addicted person needs special services that they can’t find in every rehab center, such as an aftercare or detoxification program.
Because of this, we strongly suggest that those who need addiction treatment contact us for help right away. Our trained specialists can review an addicted person’s insurance plan to see what coverage it provides.
Then, they can help find a treatment center that will accept a Carefirst plan. This saves a lot of time and money because it helps ensure that an addicted person doesn’t have to pay for care out of pocket.
Carefirst health insurance company goes out of its way to help ensure that its policyholders who have a drug or alcohol addiction get the help that they need.
They offer coverage for a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient services and counseling, and they also help with educational services for both policyholders and their doctors.
Since coverage is limited, anyone who needs help finding a treatment center that will accept Carefirst insurance should contact us right away.
Published on October 25, 2019
Addiction Resource aims to provide only the most current, accurate information in regards to addiction and addiction treatment, which means we only reference the most credible sources available.
These include peer-reviewed journals, government entities and academic institutions, and leaders in addiction healthcare and advocacy. Learn more about how we safeguard our content by viewing our editorial policy.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse — Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-abuse-among-children-adolescents-in-brief/chapter-1-risk-factors-protective-factors/when-how-does-drug-abuse-start-progress - Carefirst — Opioid Addiction Crisis, Substance Use Recovery Program
https://member.carefirst.com/members/health-wellness/staying-healthy/opioid-addiction-crisis.page