Blue Cross Blue Shield Rehab Centers

Are you Seeking a Rehab Facility?

Searching for a rehabilitation facility is the first and most important step to recovering from a substance abuse disorder. At Emerald Isle Health & Recovery, we provide treatment in a safe and secure environment.      

Factors You Should Consider When You Choose a Rehab Facility

What Are my Specific Needs?

The first thing you should think about is your own individual needs. There are two main types of rehab facilities: inpatient and outpatient. Note that the two types of service are not mutually exclusive. However, starting with the option that most closely matches the substance abuse disorder and its effects on the client increases the chances of the client’s recovery.

Inpatient programs allow your treatment to occur in an orderly and secure environment. Another benefit of inpatient programs is they usually offer onsite care 24/7. Inpatient programs provide a barrier between you and those who may have contributed to your substance use. You will not need to deal with those people during your stay. This should help you put your recovery front and center in your mind. A minus is that inpatient programs require that you stay at the facility. Another minus of an inpatient program is that it may make you feel separated from your loved ones. 

A plus of an outpatient program is that it allows you to stay at home. The average person feels more comfortable at home. The minus is that you may need to deal with influences from other people. This distraction can delay your recovery time.

Does This Facility Offer Specialized Care?

Specialized care benefits clients by focusing on root causes and contributing factors that are unique to the client’s demographics. Specialized care includes, but is not limited to:

• Treatment for substance abuse disorder
• A variety of treatment choices for substance use
• Recovery programs aimed at women
• Recovery programs aimed at men
• Treatment for mental health disorders
• Treatment for eating disorders

Will my Health Insurance Pay for This Facility?

If you have Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, you may want to contact them to find out what they will and will not pay for. They are a couple of ways to contact them. You could call the number for customer service listed on your ID card. Or you could go to their website. Most insurance companies have a provider finder tool on their website. You should bear in mind that some of their policies may not pay for mental health treatment. The level of treatment they will pay for depends upon your individual policy. 

Customers of Blue Cross Blue Shield can easily find an approved treatment center online. Blue Cross Blue Shield cares about their customers who deal with substance use disorders. If you have a policy that will pay for substance use treatment, you will normally see options for either inpatient or outpatient treatment. Depending on your policy, they may even pay for other services that will help you along the way to recovery. Examples of covered expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Assessment and screening for substance use disorder
• Detoxification from substance use (also known as “drying out”)
• Medically based examinations and treatments
• Medications useful in treating substance use disorders

Mental Health Examinations and Treatment

Typically, Blue Cross Blue Shield offers four tiers of health insurance plans: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The tier levels categorize how much of a client’s in-network medical expenses Blue Cross Blue Shield will cover. Note that premiums rise as the degree of coverage increases. The coverage associated with the four tiers is:

• Bronze: Bronze plans cover 60% of the client’s in-network medical expenses.
• Silver: Silver plans cover 70% of the client’s in-network medical expenses.
• Gold: Gold plans cover 80% of the client’s in-network medical expenses.
• Platinum: Platinum plans cover 90% of the client’s in-network medical expenses. Note that platinum plans are not available in every state.

Many Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plans that cover mental health treatment allow clients to seek treatment at out-of-network facilities. However, Blue Cross Blue Shield will require clients to pay higher out-of-pocket expenses with a 50% copay being a common rate. And Blue Cross Blue Shield clients with an HMO plan are required to seek in-network coverage to qualify for coverage.

Note that many rehabilitation facilities have in-house finance specialists that can answer basic questions about health insurance plans, set up payment schedules, and work with clients to ensure that cost is not a barrier to receiving care. Since these in-house specialists are employed by the rehabilitation facility and not Blue Cross Blue Shield, they will not have the same comprehensive knowledge about their policies. However, in-house specialists are a valuable resource for clients seeking care.

Will This Facility Reinforce my Recovery?  

Another factor you should consider is the way in which the treatment center will reinforce your recovery. The prevalent time used to treat substance use disorder is 28 days. 

However, 28 days is a guideline, not an ironclad rule. The length of a client’s treatment depends on a variety of factors including the severity of the substance abuse disorder, the substance with which the client struggles, and the client’s health insurance plan. 

What Approach to Treatment Does the Facility Employ?

Another aspect you may need to contemplate is the actual approach the facility uses. Types of therapy include, but are not limited to:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Motivational Interviews
• Healing of emotional trauma
• Therapy in combination with medication
• Approaches that make you feel safe

  Is Medication-Assisted Therapy Available?

Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT) addresses the withdrawal symptoms associated with detoxification and the physical and mental cravings associated with substance use disorders. When MAT is deemed medically necessary and beneficial, it is administered in controlled environments such as inpatient rehabilitation facility. The purpose of MAT is to prevent the client’s relapse, injuries, or illnesses that result from removing the harmful substances from the client’s body. MAT is not a standalone therapy; it is used in conjunction with behavioral therapy that addresses the root causes of the substance abuse disorder.

MAT prescriptions associated with alcohol substance abuse include, but are not limited to:

• Naltrexone (ReVia®) – In order to use Naltrexone, you must have already stopped drinking alcohol and/or taking opioids. Naltrexone will reduce alcohol cravings and block the effects that opioids have on a person.
• Disulfiram (Antabuse®) – Disulfiram is useful in treating chronic alcohol substance use disorders. If you drink even a tiny amount of alcohol you will encounter some very distasteful side effects. In these cases, it is especially important that you be aware that certain food items like vinegars and sauces contain alcohol. 
• Acamprosate (Campral®) – Acamprosate is helpful only after you have stopped drinking alcohol in considerable amounts. It will not help you avoid the normal withdrawal symptoms that are synonymous with stopping alcohol consumption.

Conclusion

There is much information to process when selecting a rehabilitation facility. However, it is important to ask questions and have needs addressed prior to check-in. Here at Emerald Isle Health & Recovery, our goal is to give you the best treatment available to aid in your recovery. Please do not forget to check with Blue Cross Blue Shield for coverage. Thank you for considering Emerald Isle Health & Recovery.