Alcohol & Drug Rehabs in Norfolk, Virginia

The cost of drug and alcohol rehab in Norfolk depends on the type of services you receive, your source of funding, and the organization providing the services. The cost may be higher if you receive care for more than one substance, and the service setting also affects the cost.

Additionally, you can expect outpatient treatment to be less expensive than inpatient.³

Are There Low-Cost and Free Drug Rehab Centers in Norfolk?

The city of Norfolk provides state-funded programs through the Norfolk Community Service Board (NCSB).⁴ State-funded drug rehabs in Norfolk, Virginia, are supported with public funds, primarily Medicaid.⁴ Virginia Medicaid provides free and low-cost health coverage for pregnant women, children, and adults, including people with disabilities.⁵

Do Medicare and Medicaid Cover Rehab Center Costs?

Yes, Medicare and Medicaid cover services for certain groups of people in Norfolk, Virginia. Medicare covers rehab for people who are 65 years and older, as well as those younger than 65 with a disability.⁶ You may receive Medicare coverage for necessary and reasonable services, such as:⁷

• Screening
• Referrals
• Brief interventions
• Outpatient
• Inpatient
• Partial hospitalization

Virginia Medicaid covers rehab for people with low income who meet the income qualification for their household size.⁵ Virginia Medicaid has no monthly premiums or enrollment fees for people who meet their income requirements.⁵ You may receive coverage for the following services under Virginia Medicaid through NBCS:⁴

• Case management
• Housing support
• Therapy
• Support services
• Outreach
• Psychiatric care
• Medical care

Several laws in Virginia support drug and alcohol misuse treatment. These laws are important if you plan to choose rehab for you or your family in Norfolk, Virginia.

Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention: HB 1821 is a Good Samaritan overdose prevention law in Virginia that protects you when helping a person during a drug overdose. The Good Samaritan law prohibits the arrest or prosecution of a person for unlawful possession of drugs and alcohol in public if they are assisting someone experiencing an overdose.¹⁷ You can give them naloxone or call emergency services without fear of being arrested or prosecuted.

Court Orders: Virginia law includes a court order for rehab and or education services for a non-Class 1 felon whose screening reveals a substance use problem. A certified substance abuse counselor conducts the substance abuse assessment.¹⁸ The court will determine the most appropriate service if they recognize the need for rehab.¹⁸

Insurance Coverage: Virginia law delineates the required insurance coverage for drug and alcohol rehab. You can expect your insurance company to cover the following for inpatient and partial hospitalization drug and alcohol services:¹⁹

• A minimum of 20 days per policy or contract year for an adult
• A minimum of 25 days per policy or contract year for a child

For outpatient visits, the insurance provider is required to pay for a minimum of 20 outpatient visits for a child or adult per policy or contract year.¹⁹

1. Norfolk, Virginia Population 2020 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs). (n.d.). Worldpopulationreview.com. 
2. FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov. 
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). 2018-2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Substate Age Group Tables, Percentages (samhsa.gov).
5. Peterson, C., Li, M., Xu, L., Mikosz, C. A., & Luo, F. (2021). Assessment of Annual Cost of Substance Use Disorder in U.S. Hospitals. JAMA Network Open, 4(3), e210242.
6. City of Norfolk. (n.d.). Norfolk Community Services Board.
7. Cover Virginia. (2022). Our programs.
8. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2015). What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?
9. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2016). Medicare Coverage of Substance Abuse Services.
10. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2021). Mental Health and Substance Use Insurance Help.
11. Findtreatment.gov.(n.d.). Searching for treatment options.
12. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). Facing addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health [Internet]. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (U.S.).
13. SMART Recovery. (2022). Our Approach: Key Areas of Awareness and Change.
14. National Institute on Drug Addiction. (2022, March 22). Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction.
15. Andakra-Christou, B., Randall-Kosich, O., & Totaram, R. (2021). Designing an “Ideal” Substance Use Disorder Treatment Center: Perspectives of People Who Have Utilized Medications for Opioid Use Disorder. Qualitative Health Research, 31(3), 512-522.
16. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Certification of opioid treatment programs (OTP).
17. Patel, P. & Sharma, S. (2021, October 30). Credentialing.
18. Norfolk Department of Economic Development. (2022). Neighborhood Commercial Areas.
19. Virginia’s Legislative Information System. (n.d.). HB 1821: Experiencing or reporting overdoses; prohibits arrest and prosecution.
20. Commonwealth of Virginia. (2022). 18.2-251.01. Substance abuse screening and assessment for felony convictions.
21. Commonwealth of Virginia. (2022). § 38.2-3412.1. Coverage for mental health and substance use disorders.