Blue Cross Blue Shield is the largest insurance company in the United States. It covers approximately one-third of all Americans. It covers a wide variety of addiction treatment programs.If you have a BCBS policy, whether it be HMO or PPO, you should feel confident that most addiction treatment programs and therapies will be covered by your plan.
Blue Cross Blue Shield substance abuse programs that are covered by most plans:
- Short term treatment – lasts 30 to 90 days. Most of the time, it’s 30 days.
- Long term treatment – is longer than 90 days and can last up to one year.
- Inpatient Addiction treatment, or residential treatment, typically lasts 30 days or less. Although, it can last longer. One of the stipulations of this treatment method is that the individual reside at the treatment facility during the duration of treatment.
- Outpatient rehab treatment – offers a lot more variations compared to inpatient treatment and it’s less costly. It’s designed for people with jobs or extensive social support. Typically, people who have completed inpatient treatment or those whose addiction problem is not severe opt for this treatment model.
- Drug counseling – typically occurs on a one-on-one basis with a drug counselor or addiction specialist. More often than not, meetings take place twice per week. They work closely with medical professionals, such as psychologists and psychiatrists.
- Group counseling – generally occur in small settings and follow the 12-step model, but not always.
- Detoxification – is the removal of drugs or alcohol prior to starting treatment. Medication may be used to alleviate side effects, such as withdrawals from alcohol or drugs.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps individuals in recovery identify problematic behaviors which are tied with substance abuse. It aims to help them anticipate and deal with situations that may be deemed risky that could result in relapse, thus it teaches to relapse prevention strategies, coping methods and self-control.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, focuses on helping individuals take command of their emotions and dangerous thoughts. It teaches that dark thoughts and uncomfortable emotions will not disappear but need to be dealt with. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga are utilized to help recovering addicts relax and regulate their thoughts and emotions. DBT aims to reduce the occurrence of self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy – aims to reduce the recovering addict’s self-doubts and insecurities that could lead to drug abuse or alcohol consumption. MET starts with an assessment session and continues with individual therapy sessions.
- Family Behavior Therapy – addresses problems that affect the entire family and how those problems manifest with substance abuse. Therapy includes sessions between partners or spouses and/or parents and children.
- Multidimensional Family Therapy – is designed to help teens who abuse drugs.
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