Alcohol and Drug Use Statistics in West Des Moines, IA
While West Des Moines covers several counties, most of it is in Polk County. Here are drug and alcohol statistics from 2021 and prior years that focus on the impact of substance misuse in Polk County:1,3
6.4% of county residents reportedly used an illicit drug within the past month.
13.7% of county residents used a prescription opioid in the past year.
8% of people in the county sought out help for an alcohol or drug problem.
45.3% of people said they were personally impacted by substance misuse.
30.8% of people who live in Polk County considered themselves to be heavy alcohol drinkers.
Between 2016 and 2020, 29% of the driving deaths in Polk County involved alcohol.
How to Pay for Addiction Treatment in Iowa
The following are various ways to finance your recovery program:
Private Insurance
If you have private health insurance from the Healthcare Marketplace or through your place of employment, you can use your insurance to cover the cost of drug and alcohol rehab. By law, your provider is required to cover addiction treatment services to the extent they cover medical services. This means they will likely provide partial or full coverage for treatment.
Iowa Medicaid
Iowa Medicaid is a federal health insurance program that provides coverage for low-income people and families who don’t have access to private insurance. You can use Iowa Medicaid to cover the cost of drug rehab in West Des Moines.
Medicare
Iowa Medicare provides health insurance coverage to people aged 65 and older. Like Medicaid, Medicare covers substance misuse treatment services, such as inpatient and outpatient rehab as well as substance use disorder assessments.
TRICARE in Iowa
Iowa is located in the West Region for TRICARE, a government program providing health insurance coverage for military personnel, veterans, and their families. You can use TRICARE to cover the cost of drug and alcohol rehab, making it more accessible.
Sliding Scale Payment Options
If a free rehab is full or has a long waiting list, you can apply to a sliding scale rehab, which only charges you what you can reasonably pay based on your income.
IHS-Funded Drug Rehabs
The Indian Health Services provides funding for some Iowa drug and alcohol rehab centers, making them able to provide free treatment to Indigenous people.
Resources
- University of Wisconsin Public Health Institute. (2022). County Health Rankings – Polk County.
- Office of the Governor of Iowa. (2022, July 12). Gov. Reynolds and officials warn Iowans of dangerous Fentanyl and fake pills.
- UnityPoint Health-Des Moines, MercyOne Des Moines, Broadlawns Medical Center, Polk County Health Department, Dallas County Health Department, Warren County Health Services, United Way of Central Iowa, EveryStep Mid Iowa Health Foundation. (2021). 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment Executive Summary – Polk, Warren, and Dallas Counties, Iowa.
