Does Cigna Cover Heroin or Drug Rehab?

Written by: Editorial Staff

Last updated on March 17, 2021

When you need rehab for substance abuse, you want to know that your insurance will help cover the costs before you choose a facility. Fortunately, most insurance companies cover a portion of your care as you recover.

People all over the world use Cigna insurance. The company serves over 30 countries, including all 50 US states. Cigna has also worked specifically to reduce drug overdoses and works with employers and communities to provide resources that help people recover from opioid addiction.¹ They help people across the country to find heroin rehabilitation treatment. The company also has information available on its website to help you get started with your recovery.

What Will Cigna Insurance Cover?

Your Cigna insurance coverage depends on your policy. Cigna offers several types of plans so that you can choose your provider and rehabilitation center, including PPO, HMO, POS, and EPO plans.^{2, What Are the Different Types of health insurance?}Within those plan types, they offer 4 tiers of insurance policies: ^{3, Compare Marketplace Health Plans, table}

• Bronze: This type of plan means you pay lower premiums, with about 60% of your care costs covered by Cigna.
• Silver: Silver plans have medium premium costs, with about 70% of medical costs covered.
• Gold: With Gold, you pay higher premiums, but much less out-of-pocket. Cigna covers about 80% of your costs.
• Platinum: Platinum comes with the highest premiums of all tiers and covers most of your medical costs at 90%.

Cigna covers many different types of therapy and treatment based on your individual needs and policy. ^{4, Inpatient Treatment and Outpatient Treatment sections} You can search for your state on their website to find out more about policies in that state. If you already have Cigna health insurance, you can log in to myCigna to check your benefits on your policy. ^{5, Access Your Benefits Anytime, Anywhere}

Treatment for substance abuse disorders is considered an essential health benefit that all plans must provide under the Affordable Care Act. The specific coverage you have for heroin rehabilitation depends on your policy. Even plans within the same tier may be different; for example, your coverage may depend on whether you have an HMO or PPO and whether you choose an in-network or out-of-network heroin rehab center.

Cigna rehab insurance covers treatment at both inpatient and outpatient facilities, including intensive outpatient programs and partial hospitalization programs. Your rehab center will help you determine what kind of care you need and work with you from there to help you understand what your benefits cover.

Does Cigna Insurance Cover Mental Health Care?

It’s important to know that substance abuse disorders often occur with other mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety. A 2017 study found that 19.4% of people with heroin dependence also had ADHD. ^{6, Highlights} According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20% of people with anxiety and other mood disorders also have co-occurring substance abuse disorders. ^{7, 3rd paragraph}

Understanding the connection between co-occurring mental health disorders and substance use means that we can treat the source of the problem, as opposed to just the symptoms of substance abuse. By treating the source, we create more effective rehab treatments so that people will continue their recovery beyond inpatient or outpatient treatment. Addressing all aspects of a person’s mental illness can help them understand their disorders and feel more supported. Rehab centers like AAC want people to feel valued no matter their background or mental health struggles.

This holistic approach can help you feel supported through a network of professionals who understand these disorders. In an environment that offers comprehensive and intersecting care, you can use tools from each type of therapy to improve your recovery process. These are resources you can turn to instead of substances in the future.

How Long Does Cigna Insurance Cover Rehab?

In one study, participants talked about significant experiences that led them to take their heroin rehabilitation recovery seriously. ^{8, Recovery section} Of these people, 22% said their treatment and the professionals involved in it pushed them to continue the process. Even more, 26% said 12-step programs like AA and NA helped them most.

The duration of treatment can be a key factor in how you recover. While short-term treatment works for some people, other people require 6 months to a year of rehab. There is no one-size-fits-all program that works for everyone.

There are advantages to longer treatment times. Recovery is a lifelong process for many people with substance abuse disorder, and it looks different for everyone. Longer treatment—whether it’s medication-assisted detox or additional one-on-one therapy for multiple mental health disorders—can provide you with more resources to use beyond the active treatment process.

Cigna insurance gives you plenty of options when it comes to getting treatment. Rehab centers like AAC can help you find affordable treatment that works for you and your insurance plan. We’ll work with you to find a rehab program that gives you the resources and tools you need for a better recovery experience.

What if My Cigna Insurance Policy Does Not Cover Heroin Rehab?

Although your Cigna healthcare insurance policy will most likely cover at least part of your heroin rehab treatment, the amount it covers varies. Some people still struggle to afford their rehab. If that’s the case for you, ask your chosen heroin rehab center about other payment options.

Some rehab facilities offer scholarships to help you pay for your treatment and ease the financial burden on you or your family. Others will allow you to finance your treatment, meaning you can spread payments out over a designated period so that you won’t have to pay the full amount at once.

No matter which option you choose, it’s critical that you get treatment now. Earlier rehab can reduce the risk of serious conditions associated with long-term substance abuse, including injury, cancer, heart disease, overdose, and developing or worsening mental health disorders. ^{9, Findings} In fact, the risk of these and other conditions only increases in adulthood. Getting immediate help can mean avoiding these negative consequences. Plus, the sooner you receive support and treatment, the better your quality of life becomes beyond rehab.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network Rehab Centers

In-network rehab centers have agreed to your insurance provider’s prices for treatment. In other words, the rehab center has its own established cost for treatment if you were to pay out-of-pocket. When you have insurance, the center agrees to charge your insurance company’s price for that treatment. In turn, your insurance company pays for a portion of your treatment and you pay the rest.

You don’t have that advantage with out-of-network providers. If you have insurance, you don’t necessarily have to pay the entire cost out-of-pocket. However, you will likely pay much more than you would with an in-network provider.

Cigna offers different types of insurance plans, which makes it easier for you to access treatment at both in-network and out-of-network rehab centers. A Cigna PPO plan, for instance, might cover a portion of your treatment even at an out-of-network heroin rehab center. That does not apply if you have an HMO, so make sure you understand the type of plan you have before you get treatment.

Check Your Benefits

American Addiction Centers can help you verify your Cigna Insurance substance abuse treatment coverage. Use our online form to find out what your policy covers, or call our helpline to speak directly with a representative. We’ll ask you for some basic insurance information, and from there, we can look up your plan to see how much coverage you have for your chosen rehab center. You can also call the number on the back of your insurance card or log in to your myCigna account to view your benefits online.

At AAC, we help people get heroin and drug rehab treatment every day. We’re committed to helping you recover, and that means finding the rehab programs and resources that best meet your needs. Contact us today by calling our helpline at 1-888-496-8059 Who Answers? and ask us how we can help you start your recovery from heroin addiction.

Sources

1. Cigna (2018). Cigna intensifies effort to curtail opioid epidemic by confronting opioid addiction and overdose in U.S. communities.
2. Cigna (2018). Types of health insurance.
3. Cigna (2021). Bronze, silver, gold, and platinum health plans.
4. Cigna (2020). Inpatient and outpatient treatment for substance use disorder.
5. Cigna (2021). Affordable health insurance plans.
6. Lugoboni, F., Levin, F. R., Pieri, M. C., Manfredini, M., Zamboni, L., Somaini, L., … & InterSert Collaborazione Scientifica (GICS). (2017). Co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in adults affected by heroin dependence: Patients characteristics and treatment needs. Psychiatry Research, 250, 210-216.
7. Anxiety and Depression Association of America (2021). Substance use disorders.
8. Laudet, A. B., Savage, R., & Mahmood, D. (2002). Pathways to long-term recovery: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 34, 304-311.
9. Schulte, M. T., & Hser, Y. (2014). Substance use and associated health conditions throughout the lifespan. Public Health Reviews, 35.