Expert Insights
A new program was recently funded in Leigh County to allow some inmates incarcerated in county jails to continue receiving medication for opioid use withdrawal while in custody.
Access to such medications has typically been limited or non-existent in jails and prisons, and the outcome has been a painful, forced withdrawal and an increase in opioid overdoses following release. Once this inhumane, dangerous, and unacceptable practice of withholding medication is corrected, lives will be saved.
~ Rita Milios
Paying for Alcohol and Drug Rehab in Allentown
Making quality treatment accessible to everyone is a priority. Lehigh County opened three addiction treatment centers to offer free or low-cost services to those who qualify. The county also contracts with existing Allentown drug rehabs and Lehigh County alcohol rehabs to provide funding for people who need treatment but cannot afford it.
Services available at any stage of a substance use disorder include long-term and short-term inpatient and outpatient programs, transitional living, prevention, and intervention. The Lehigh County drug rehabs for adults are the Allentown Center for Recovery and Change on Hamilton. For youths, the county created the REACH LV Youth Recovery Center.
Medicaid and Medicare
As you enter the treatment process, you may find that you qualify for help from Medicaid or Medicare. For anyone already receiving Medicaid or Medicare, you must know most plans offer excellent coverage for inpatient and outpatient treatment if you receive treatment from accredited Allentown drug rehabs that accept Medicaid or Medicare.
Medicaid, also called Medical Assistance, qualification requirements include meeting a percentage of the poverty level income in Pennsylvania. Other requirements include being a resident of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, and having a certain number of people in your household.
For example, if your household has three children between the ages of 6 to 19, your monthly income cannot be higher than $2,553 to qualify for Medicaid.
Medicare is an insurance program for those 65 and over or those under 65 with a disability. Medicare is divided into parts A, B, C, and D, with additional Medicare savings program options. Medicare Part A covers your inpatient drug rehab in Allentown stays, and Part B covers outpatient services. Part C is a combination plan of A and B, while part D covers prescription costs.
Medicare requires meeting monthly premiums and copays, but for many, this cost is very low, or there is no cost.
Private Insurance
Private insurance plans are accepted at many Allentown alcohol rehabs and drug rehabs. Standard private insurance plans include Cigna, Geisinger, Highmark, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Ambetter, among others. Private insurance varies greatly, depending on your individual needs. Most require monthly premiums, deductibles, and copays.
Some quality treatment centers, like the Allentown Comprehensive Treatment Center, accept commercial insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare and have self-pay options.
It is essential to check with your insurance company about the recovery centers within your plan’s network. You also want to ask your insurer about the services covered. Most drug rehabs in Allentown offer behavioral therapy, medication assistance, peer support groups, and family therapy with licensed professionals.
Sometimes trying to match a treatment program with your payment options can get confusing. You can call us anytime to help you figure out where to go for help. We can also answer other questions about receiving treatment in Allentown.
Resources
- PA Department of Health. 2022. Interactive Data Reports: Drug Overdose Surveillance.
- Lehigh County, PA. 2022. Drug and Alcohol Abuse Services.
- PA Department of Human Services. 2022. Medical Assistance General Eligibility Requirements.
- PA Department of Aging. 2022. Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight.
- Discover Lehigh Valley. 2022. Allentown.
