Using United Healthcare Insurance for Rehab

Does United Healthcare Cover Rehab?

United Healthcare offers some limited benefits and short-term plans that may not cover detox and rehab. All full-coverage plans are required to provide mental health and substance abuse coverage as an essential benefit.⁸ However, United Healthcare offers some limited benefits and short-term plans that may not cover detox and rehab.

As a result, most United Healthcare plans offer drug and alcohol rehab coverage such as inpatient and outpatient rehab, counseling, and other therapies.  The details about which programs are covered and how much of the cost you’re responsible for will vary depending on your specific plan. If you’re not sure how United Healthcare insurance works in your particular situation, you should contact United Healthcare directly to understand how to pay for rehab with your drug and alcohol rehab coverage.

Types of Treatment Covered by United Healthcare

While coverage may vary, United Healthcare insurance plans will generally seek to cover evidence-based medical treatments for substance use disorder. Some types of treatment that may be covered include:

• Medical Detox. Detoxification, commonly known as medical detox or just detox, is the process by which the body removes substances from itself. Usually occurring as a first step to prepare a patient for intensive treatment, detox can be accompanied by potentially severe withdrawal symptoms. As such, many may seek to undergo medically supervised detox.
• Inpatient rehab. Inpatient and residential rehab involve treatment programs that seek to help a patient understand the root of their substance use disorder, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and achieve recovery. Inpatient treatment generally occurs in a hospital setting and can last a few weeks to a few months. Residential treatment usually occurs in a rehab facility and can last a few months to a year.
• Outpatient rehab. Generally considered a follow-up to a more intensive inpatient program, outpatient treatment allows individuals to live at home while commuting to receive treatment at a facility.

How to Check My United Healthcare Benefits for Rehab

There are several ways you can check your United Healthcare benefits. A good first step would be to log into the United Healthcare member website to learn more about United Healthcare rehab insurance.⁷ You can also learn about any online therapy covered or check other specifics about United Healthcare drug rehab coverage.

You can also check the provider network to find United Healthcare alcohol rehab centers or drug programs.⁸ Click on the “Behavioral Health Directory” to access the United Healthcare rehab provider network and learn more about United Healthcare therapy coverage.

Lastly, United Healthcare can verify coverage for you over the phone and help you find rehab providers that are part of your plan. You can also check with rehabs to see if they accept United Healthcare coverage, but keep in mind the insurer makes the final decision.

How to Use United Healthcare to Pay for Rehab

In order to use your United Healthcare insurance plan to cover addiction treatment, you may first need to clear everything with the insurance company. Preauthorization may be needed in order for the insurance company to begin paying. Most preauthorization occurs between the insurance provider and your healthcare provider. As such, it will be important to be open in communications with any potential rehab centers in order to attain the maximum amount of coverage. It’s also a good idea to confirm which rehabs are in-network with United Healthcare, and which are not. Receiving treatment at an in-network facility can greatly reduce out-of-pocket costs.

How Much Does United Healthcare Cover?

The extent of your United Healthcare coverage will vary depending on a number of factors. What type of insurance plan you have, where you attend treatment, if the rehab facility is in-network with United Healthcare, how long treatment lasts, and how intense the treatment is can all affect the amount United Healthcare may cover. It’s important to check your coverage and benefits with a United Healthcare representative before committing to treatment.

Do Rehab Centers Need to Be In-Network with United Healthcare?

While you can attend treatment anywhere you like, your coverage may be significantly greater if you attend a facility that is in-network with United Healthcare. While you may still be able to attend treatment at an out-of-network facility, United Healthcare may not cover as much of the cost. In some cases, United Healthcare may not cover any of the cost if you opt to attend treatment at an out-of-network facility. It’s important to check with any prospective rehabs to make sure they are in-network with your insurance provider.

Types of United Healthcare Plans

United Healthcare offers a variety of coverage types, including student health insurance plans, individual and family coverage, and group coverage provided through employers.²

Rehab services like inpatient, outpatient, or online therapy that United Healthcare covers depends on what type of insurance plan you have. Before seeking treatment, it’s wise to connect with your insurance company to determine what services are covered. United Healthcare offers a variety of types of health insurance plans.³ For instance, TriTerm medical insurance covers preventative care, doctor visits, and pharmacy needs. This short-term coverage lasts almost three years but provides limited benefits. You can also purchase health insurance with rehab coverage through the insurance marketplace. These plans meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act that went into effect in 2010.

United Healthcare & Medicare

United Healthcare also offers Medicare plans.⁵ You can get a Medicare Advantage plan so you have coverage beyond what original Medicare offers. There is also a dual special need plan if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.

Those with limited resources may qualify for Medicaid.⁶ This coverage helps you get medical care at a lower or no cost to you. The specific benefits you receive and how much it costs will vary depending on which state you live in. Make sure to explore your state’s particular Medicaid program when looking for a detox or rehab program.

Choosing Coverage for Drug & Alcohol Treatment

One important aspect of the plan to consider is whether or not you would prefer to get referrals from a primary care provider or have the opportunity to visit rehab specialists on your own. Also, you should be sure the plan you choose has a network of rehab providers that you want—sometimes out-of-network treatment isn’t covered, and other times it has a much higher cost.

Ultimately,  you’ll want to balance the coverage benefits you need with the monthly cost of the insurance plan. Generally, a lower monthly price means more out-of-pocket expenses when you need care.

Finding Rehab Centers that Accept United Healthcare

United Healthcare works with many rehab centers in all 50 states to help their policyholders attend rehab or detox. While coverage may vary by your plan details, American Addiction Centers (AAC) is proud to accept United Healthcare coverage as a group of United Healthcare approved rehab facilities. For more information about using your UHC rehab coverage at American Addiction Centers, call our free & confidential detox hotline or you can text us.