(6205) Medicare Accepted at Alcohol Rehab Treatment Centers

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Many alcohol rehab centers accept Medicare for elderly patients or those who lack traditional insurance resources. If you or someone you care about is a Medicare recipient currently struggling with alcohol use disorder. You can use your policy to pay for all or part of your treatment, depending upon the specifics of your plan type. It’s important to remember that your physician must deem it medically necessary for you to receive therapy before Medicare provides coverage. Alcohol rehab is covered under Medicare Parts A and B, also known as “original Medicare”. Treatment must be administered at a Medicare-approved facility.

Important Things to Know about Medicare Alcohol Rehab

Once per year, Medicare Part B covers screening for alcohol misuse. For a diagnosis of alcohol dependency, according to Medicare, you must reveal one of the following criteria in an alcohol screening:

• Having more than seven drinks a week for women or fourteen drinks a week for men.
• Having more than three drinks a day for women or four drinks a day for men.
• A drinking pattern that causes harm to family or employment but is not alcohol dependent.

If the screening indicates you’re misusing alcohol, but you do not meet the medical criteria for alcohol dependence, Medicare Part B covers alcohol counseling. You can get up to four brief counseling sessions a year. Medicare considers alcohol screening and counseling preventive services, so they receive coverage.

What Kind of Alcohol Treatment Does Medicare Cover?

Medicare covers medical detox and inpatient rehab when deemed medically necessary by a qualified physician. Inpatient rehab can be administered at a designated rehab center or hospital. It’s important to note that Medicare will only pay for 190 days of treatment at a psychiatric hospital in your lifetime. Medicare also covers outpatient rehab and partial hospitalization treatment. Inpatient treatment can get expensive as there will still be out-of-pocket costs. It’s helpful to explore Medigap insurance plans to offset these costs.

Alcohol Treatment Centers That Take Medicare