Healthcare is a hot-button topic of late, and will be for some time. The recent adoption of the healthcare bill will take awhile before all the details are sorted out, but there will most certainly be more options for treatment for substance abuse. In the meantime, there are some measures for those who need help right now, but don’t have a plan.
If there is insurance, but no plan for coverage, then there is good news, eventually. Most states now are required to cover addiction, so check the employee benefits, and see what they offer. It may take some time, and a fight with the insurance company down the road, but absolutely worth it.
If there is no healthcare plan insurance at all, then there are plenty of options available. Check with the local agency of your particular state. There are departments with names like Behavioral Health, Addiction Services, or the Department of Human Services, and they can put you in touch with treatment centers that can help you. It’s their job to help you find this information, so be patient and persistent.
Most treatment centers do have some provisions to help people who cannot pay at all. These are usually funds that are set aside expressly for this purpose. It’s been placed there to help people in your situation, so don’t be afraid to ask for the help. Asking for help, in fact, is one of the major steps toward recovery, and this doesn’t mean asking once. It can be multiple times, and everyone’s situation is different.
No healthcare plan should not be a determinant, then, in addiction treatment. There are some places where it is more prohibitive than others, but there should be a shift when the new laws are enacted and enforced. In the meantime, these are all possible avenues, and each one should get some very positive results. If all else fails, the local twelve-step groups should be able to help direct you to the one that’s most suited to you. These will introduce you to people with your problems, and they will undoubtedly be willing to share their thought and opinions with you, and help you find your feet in recovery.