Cigna Addiction Treatment

Addictions present many challenges. They can affect your career, your relationships and your overall quality of life. Even with all of the serious consequences of addictions, they can still be difficult to overcome. In most cases, professional treatment will be required. Because addiction treatment can be expensive, it is wise to find out how much you will be expected to pay before you begin the process. Fortunately, if you have health insurance through CIGNA, your plan may cover a significant portion of your treatment expenses.

About CIGNA Insurance Policies

CIGNA offers several different types of insurance policies, all of which cover addiction treatment. However, the CIGNA addiction recovery coverage offered under these plans differ significantly. The plan types available include:

• CIGNA Copay Assure - Under this plan, you will pay a flat fee for most of the services you receive. Your responsibilities for services that are more expensive, such as hospitalization, are capped.
• CIGNA Flex Plan - CIGNA's Flex plans offer a variety of deductible and coinsurance options to meet the needs of various customers. Under these plans, you must meet your deductible before CIGNA addiction recovery benefits will begin. After you have met your deductible, you will continue to be responsible for any required copays or coinsurance until you meet your out-of-pocket maximum.
• CIGNA Health Savings Plan - With a CIGNA Health Savings plan, you will most likely have to meet a high deductible before your CIGNA addiction recovery benefits will begin. However, you can use funds from an HSA to pay these expenses, which offers certain tax benefits. Once you have met your deductible, you may still be responsible for copays and/or coinsurance until you have satisfied your plan's out-of-pocket maximum.

Estimating How Much You Will Pay

The amount you will pay for treatment depends on the type of plan you have, its specific terms and the amount you have already paid toward your deductible for the current year. Some other factors that may affect your CIGNA addiction recovery benefits include:

• In-network versus out-of-network: CIGNA maintains a network of preferred providers. Choosing providers from within this network will maximize your CIGNA addiction recovery benefits, while choosing providers outside the network may reduce your CIGNA addiction recovery benefits.
• Mental health versus substance abuse: Some addictions, such as addictions to gambling, may fall into the category of mental health treatment, while treatment for addiction to drugs or alcohol will be considered "substance abuse treatment." Benefits for mental health treatment may differ from benefits for substance abuse treatment.