An addiction to prescription drugs can lead to a number of complications, including legal consequences, health problems, trouble in interpersonal relationships and much more. The best way to deal with a prescription drug addiction is to seek treatment from qualified medical professionals. However, this treatment can be expensive, particularly if you must go through detoxification before you can begin your recovery.
If you have recently lost your insurance, you may be wondering how you will be able to afford your treatment expenses. Fortunately, if you lost your insurance under certain circumstances, you may qualify for COBRA Prescription Drug Detox coverage.
COBRA Basics
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, is a law that was passed to provide insurance coverage for people who no longer qualify for group policies because of certain circumstances, such as the loss of a job or a reduction in the number of hours worked. If you qualify for coverage under COBRA, you can elect to keep your previous group insurance policy for up to 36 months, depending on your circumstances.
Estimating COBRA Prescription Drug Detox Benefits
COBRA simply allows you to “revive” the policy you had through your employer before you lost it. Thus, COBRA Prescription Drug Detox coverage depends on the specifics of your policy. Some of the characteristics of your policy that may affect your COBRA Prescription Drug Detox Coverage include:
Policy Structure
Insurance policy structures vary considerably. For example, while some policies will require you to obtain a referral from a primary care provider before entering treatment, others will allow you to consult a specialist without a referral. Likewise, while some policies may pay for treatment received both in and out-of-network, other policies may provide benefits only if you select a doctor from within the policy’s preferred provider network.
Deductibles and Coinsurance
If your policy includes a deductible, you must pay at least this amount toward medical expenses for the year before your treatment expenses will be covered. If you have coinsurance requirements, you will also pay a percentage of your treatment expenses after you have met the deductible.
Medical Necessity and Precertification
Many policies require providers to follow published procedures for determining whether a certain treatment is necessary. In addition, some more expensive treatments, such as inpatient detox, may require express permission from the insurance company in order to be covered.