You Can’t Afford Addiction Treatment?

People are often surprised when they find out there’s a charge for addiction treatment. There are facilities which are government subsidized to make it easier for people who can’t pay for treatment, but there’s usually at least a small charge based on income. NewDay is a private facility and we don’t receive any government funds. It’s strange how people think about addiction treatment. A person who goes to the doctor for diabetes treatment expects to pay for the treatment, either through insurance or self-pay, or a combination of both depending on their insurance policy. It’s the same with addiction treatment — we accept most major insurance, and many times the co-pay is minimal, but there’s always a price to pay.

So, back to affording treatment. We get calls from people who don’t have insurance, or the deductible is so high it won’t pay anything toward the price of treatment, and they ask about the price of treatment. The intake person tells them the price, and they often say they can’t afford it. Let’s consider this for a moment. During a normal assessment, a counselor will ask about the amount of alcohol, or cocaine, or opiates, etc., the person is using on a regular basis. Then the assessment reveals consequences of addiction, such as relationships, job, legal, health, etc. In most cases, the cost of addiction, personally and to loved ones, is high. Financial consequences caused by addiction are often a major reason people seek treatment. Yet, most people who come to us for outpatient treatment haven’t lost it all. They still have a job; however, they’re on the road to losing it all if they don’t get treatment and recover — this is what needs to be considered by someone seeking treatment but has to pay for it.

If the person is serious, it’s the greatest investment they’ll ever make. At NewDay, if someone is self-pay, we don’t ask for the full amount upfront, we get a down payment and figure out a payment plan that works in their budget. A person paying monthly payments on a decent stereo system would probably be paying more than our payments which can possibly add decades of quality living to their life. Without spending money on alcohol or other drugs, and without the financial consequences of addiction, and because in recovery a person is more productive and able to fulfill their potential, most people coming to us for treatment can easily afford treatment. The fact is, though, they can’t afford to keep spiraling down in addiction. The costs of addiction become much more serious as time goes by. Recovery is an investment with almost limitless returns, depending on what the person puts into it.