
Like all states, Nebraska has a Medicaid program set up to help people with low incomes who cannot afford needed health care, including treatment for a substance use disorder.
Not all rehab centers in Nebraska accept Medicaid, but there are several that do. This is important for patients with a drug or alcohol addiction who wouldn’t seek help or would be forced to drop out of a program because of the cost.
Nebraska Medicaid rehab centers are located throughout the state and provide a range of different treatment programs aimed at helping residents find long-term recovery.
Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Coverage For Alcohol And Drug Addiction Treatment
Nebraska’s Medicaid system is administered through ACCESSNebraska and was renamed Heritage Health in January 2017. There are around 100 alcohol and drug treatment centers that accept Medicaid from patients struggling with drug addiction or alcohol addiction.
Many of these treatment centers accept patients who have a dual diagnosis. This means that they have mental health issues compounding their alcohol and drug abuse issues.
Nebraska’s Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect on October 1, 2020, though the ballot initiative to expand Medicaid happened in November 2018.
It is a two-tiered system with several requirements, one of which is a work requirement after the second year. Heritage Health uses three managed care organizations (MCO).
They are:
- Nebraska Total Care
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Nebraska
- Wellcare of Nebraska
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no copay for Medicaid policyholders who were 18 or older, who were pregnant women, or who were in a treatment facility.
People who are ages 19 and older may need to pay $2 per service. As of May 1, 2020, there is no copay for all treatment services and prescription medications due to the pandemic.
Drug And Alcohol Rehab Programs Often Covered By Nebraska Medicaid (Heritage Health)
Substance abuse treatment falls under behavioral health services in the Medicaid plan.
Medicaid insurance coverage may pay for a range of treatment services depending on your individual needs, such as:
- inpatient treatment
- outpatient treatment
- intensive outpatient treatment
- hospital inpatient service
- medication management
- peer support groups
- crisis intervention
- mental health services
- management services
- dual diagnosis treatment
- detoxification
- family therapy
- group therapy
- individual therapy
- therapeutic community treatment
Top 4 Rehab Centers That Accept Nebraska Medicaid
These Nebraska treatment centers all accept the Medicaid health plan. They were chosen because they were favorably reviewed by patients, are accredited, and have high standards of patient care.
1. Lutheran Family Services RSAFE Program Bellevue Office, Bellevue, Nebraska
This outpatient treatment center helps patients through addiction treatments such as couples, family, and group therapy. They also offer cognitive behavioral therapy.
Lutheran Family Services has special programs for patients who have undergone trauma and have been ordered into treatment by the court. They operate a crisis intervention team. Age groups treated at Lutheran Family Services range from children to seniors.
Location and contact information:
730 North Fort Crook Rd.
Bellevue, NE 68005
(402) 978-5616
2. St. Francis Alcoholism and Drug Treatment Center, Grand Island, Nebraska
St. Francis offers medication-assisted treatment for patients with alcohol addiction in the form of Campral. Their service settings include inpatient treatment, outpatient programs, long-term and short-term drug rehab, intensive outpatient treatment, and outpatient day treatment.
Therapies include motivational interviewing and relapse prevention. The treatment facility practices community outreach and encourages the 12-step approach.
Special treatment programs include:
- child care for the children of their patients
- case management
- discharge planning
- aftercare
They accept children, adolescents, and adults.
Location and contact information:
2116 West Faidley Ave.
Grand Island, NE 68803
(308) 398-5427
3. St. Monica’s Outpatient Services, Lincoln, Nebraska
This addiction treatment center helps women who are grappling with a substance use disorder and women who are dealing with a dual diagnosis through their outpatient treatment and intensive outpatient treatment settings.
They provide dialectical and cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatment services, such as anger management, motivational interviewing, and relapse prevention. They support the 12-step program approach and offer the Matrix model to patients who are addicted to stimulants.
Addiction treatment programs include:
- discharge planning
- aftercare
- drug and alcohol screening
- interim services
- housing services
- peer support
- life skills education
Location and contact information:
120 Wedgewood Dr.
Lincoln, NE 68510
(402) 441-3768
4. Stephen Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Stephen Center helps patients overcome substance abuse through inpatient drug rehab, outpatient services, and long- and short-term drug and alcohol rehab programs.
Addiction therapies include relapse prevention, motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy, and trauma therapy. They also practice brief interventions and community outreach.
Stephen Center welcomes patients with a dual diagnosis, veterans, and active-duty military and their families. They have programs for pregnant women or postpartum women and people who have been referred into treatment by the court, save those with DWI.
They also have programs for transitional age young adults and patients who’ve experienced trauma and sexual abuse.
Location and contact information:
5217 South 28th St.
Omaha, NE 68107
(402) 715-5440
Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) FAQs
Finding the right rehab center often includes finding one that accepts your insurance. Nebraska Medicaid is accepted at a variety of addiction treatment centers in the state. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about what addiction treatment programs Heritage Health will pay for.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Cover The Cost Of Inpatient Treatment For Alcohol And Drug Abuse?
✔️ Nebraska Medicaid covers inpatient or residential treatment. This type of substance abuse treatment has the patient live at the rehab center for a certain amount of time and is highly effective.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Cover The Cost Of Outpatient Treatment Services?
✔️ Outpatient treatment is also covered by Nebraska Medicaid. Outpatient programs vary depending on the treatment facility that offers them.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Cover The Cost Of Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)?
✔️ Nebraska Medicaid covers partial hospitalization, which is sometimes known as day treatment. Here, the patient spends most of the day at the facility, then is discharged in the evening.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Cover The Cost Of Intensive Outpatient Programs?
✔️ Nebraska Medicaid covers intensive outpatient treatment. In this treatment, the patient spends more time at the facility than they would if they were in a regular outpatient program. The typical amount of time is about nine hours per week.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Pay For Medication-Assisted Treatment?
✔️ Nebraska Medicaid covers medication-assisted treatment, or MAT. Medication-assisted treatment allows patients to detox while being monitored by the rehab facility. Patients are also given medications to ease the worst of withdrawal symptoms. This allows them to participate in and benefit from other addiction treatments.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Cover The Cost Of Suboxone?
✔️ Nebraska Medicaid covers the cost of Suboxone, buprenorphine, and buprenorphine/naloxone under certain restrictions. The patient needs to present proof that they are in counseling for their substance abuse.
The prescription drugs can only be used for patients ages 18 and older and can be used by pregnant women. Treatment with these medications is limited to six months, and prior authorization is needed before a doctor can prescribe them.
❓ Does Heritage Health (Nebraska Medicaid) Cover The Cost Of Methadone?
✔️ Nebraska Medicaid doesn’t cover the cost of methadone. However, there are other options for Medicaid members who need to use methadone during substance abuse treatment, such as payment plans offered by the rehab center of choice.
Paying For Costs Not Covered By Nebraska Medicaid
There are several ways for a patient to cover the cost of treatment or medications not covered by Nebraska Medicaid.
These include:
- their own savings
- crowdfunding
- IHS/Tribal/Union funding
- health insurance other than Medicaid, including private insurance plans and Medicare
- military insurance
- loans
- state welfare funds
- state juvenile justice funds
- VA insurance
Some treatment facilities are free, while others offer sliding scale fees depending on the patient’s financial circumstances. Others are amenable to setting up payment schedules.
Nebraska Medicaid Eligibility Requirements
Besides being a resident of Nebraska, a person must be a citizen, permanent resident, or legal alien of the United States. Their income must be considered low or very low, and this is determined by their annual income being a percentage of the federal poverty level.
They also need to belong to at least one of the following categories:
- pregnant
- a parent or someone responsible for another person
- a youth who was formerly in foster care
- age 18 or younger
- age 65 or older
- under age 65 but disabled, including being visually impaired according to guidelines set by the Social Security Administration
Though the patient’s income and other sources of wealth are considered when a person applies for Medicaid, some of these sources aren’t counted.
These include the person’s home, one vehicle, the property that they use to run their business, a burial fund, and resources that don’t go over a certain amount. For example, a one-person household can’t have resources above $4,000.
Nebraska Medicaid does not give a resource test to pregnant women who are otherwise eligible for Medicaid nor children ages 18 and under.
Finding Rehab Facilities That Accept Nebraska Medicaid
Don’t put off seeking help for addiction either because of cost or because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are a good number of addiction centers that accept Medicaid.
Many treatment facilities are still open and have adopted safeguards to greatly lower the risk of the pandemic to both their staff and their patients. For more information about alcohol and drug rehab centers that accept Medicaid, contact our treatment helpline today.
Published on November 4, 2020
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.
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- Benefits.gov — Nebraska Medicaid
https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1302 - Nebraska Department. of Health and Human Services — Medicaid Clients
http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Medicaid-Clients.aspx - Nebraska Department. of Health and Human Services — Medicaid Expansion in Nebraska
http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Medicaid-Expansion.aspx