Does insurance pay for sober living?
Will my insurance cover sober living costs?
Many questions arise when searching for not just treatment but sober living for yourself or your loved one. Not the least of which is insurance, and what it does and does not include inside of your own plan.
Sober living is an integral part of the recovery process.
Why Doesn’t Insurance Pay for Sober Living?
The long and short of it is that no, insurance does not cover the cost of sober living for the state of California. Because the state of California offers no licensed certification for any type of sober living, halfway house or aftercare, insurance contracts are not able to be obtained by these services.
That being said, many outpatients and treatment centers give people free or subsidized rent in sober living if their clients attend their program. Be aware, this is extremely gray area! Many of these types or programs simply offer sober living because it makes it convenient for their clients, but typically very little oversight and care goes into these continuing care programs.
Sober Living is Aftercare, Not Treatment
True treatment plans usually incorporate not only residential treatment and aftercare, but do so separately. The goal of a treatment program is to educate the individual on their issues with substance abuse and addiction and introduce them to a lifestyle of sobriety and recovery.
Once a residential program has been completed, aftercare facilities such as sober living should then be sought out. Individuals tend to succeed when attending a sober living with structure, accountability as well as being placed in an environment among their peers.
Help Finding Sober Living is Available
The ultimate goal of a sober living is to help teach the life skills necessary for an individual to succeed in their newfound lifestyle of sobriety. Though it may be unfortunate that insurance does not currently cover the cost of these programs, it is nonetheless an important part of sustained and long-term sobriety.
Just because sober livings do not accept healthcare insurance from providers such as Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Health Net, Cigna, or United Healthcare, there are options available for almost any familial situation. If you are seeking more information about sober living or aftercare and have questions about how to pay for it, please do not hesitate to call our toll-free number at (888)357-7577.