When looking for treatment, one of the most pressing questions is usually: What is the cost of rehab? To help answer this, Start Your Recovery conducted an extensive "Secret Shopper" pricing study analyzing cost information collected from calling more than 1,000 residential facilities across the country. The study found that a residential stay lasting 30 days cost an average of:
$27,466 if paying cash
Roughly $4,000–$6,000 if paying with in-network insurance
Roughly $18,000–$25,000 if paying with out-of-network insurance
While costs will vary depending on your plan, level of care needed, facility location, and additional factors, using in-network insurance is the most effective way to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Many websites and marketing resources will attempt to steer you toward expensive out-of-network providers but choosing a facility that has a negotiated contract with your insurance provider saves you a significant amount of money.
Insurance estimates are based on insurance cost-sharing, including average deductible, coinsurance, negotiated rates, and balance billing. Actual costs vary greatly based on your specific plan, deductible, level of care needed, facility location, and additional factors.
Costs vary based on a variety of things, including whether the facility is in-network or out-of-network with your insurance. The tables below compare average costs for types of treatment and show how much individuals typically pay when using in-network versus out-of-network insurance.
Insurance typically covers a higher share of treatment costs when you receive care from an in-network provider. For out-of-network care, your insurer may cover a smaller percentage of the bill, or in some instances, cover nothing at all.
Based on common commercial insurance cost-sharing patterns, individuals receiving in-network care often pay about 20% of the total treatment cost, while those receiving out-of-network care may pay 70% to 120% of the total treatment cost. Out-of-network costs can sometimes exceed the average treatment cost shown because of higher cost-sharing requirements, certain services not being covered, or differences in reimbursement rates.
Actual out-of-pocket costs vary based on specific insurance plans, providers, and treatment needs, but staying in-network often means lower costs.
Use Start Your Recovery's treatment locator to find providers fully in-network with your insurance to minimize your out-of-pocket cost.
The level of care you need directly impacts your potential costs for treatment. Higher levels of care require a greater amount of staffing, medication management, additional programming, potential housing, and more. To help you determine the level of care that is best for you, you can speak directly to a medical professional.
Withdrawal management (detox): For people at risk of severe withdrawal symptoms. This requires continuous medical monitoring.
Residential or inpatient treatment: 24/7 care in a clinical or community setting. Inpatient programs include round-the-clock nursing care and residential programs have 24/7 supervision and support.
Outpatient: For outpatient care such as PHP or IOP, you would live at home while attending therapy sessions throughout the week.
If your treatment includes medications for addiction treatment (MAT), such as Suboxone, Vivitrol, or Methadone, the cost of things like additional management, lab work, and physician oversight will be factored into your care cost.
Because many facilities bill on a per day or per-session basis, a 30-day program will most likely cost less than a 60- or 90-day treatment program. Your insurance may initially authorize only part of a stay and then review progress to determine whether continued care is covered or not.
Location can impact the cost of treatment. A facility in a high-cost-of-living coastal region or luxury destination with specialized treatment offerings will usually cost more than many rural and standard programs.
Because of federal parity law, coverage for addiction treatment cannot be more restrictive than coverage for other medical needs. However, coverage still varies widely based on your specific plan, deductible, network status, medical necessity reviews, the level of care needed, and whether you are seeking care with a facility in-network vs out-of-network with your plan.
According to our study, on average, people with in-network insurance paid nearly 80% less out of pocket than someone with out of network coverage.
The biggest reason for this difference is that in-network facilities have negotiated rates with insurers, which can greatly reduce cost. A majority of insurance plans cover at least some of the cost for detox, residential treatment, and outpatient care (including PHP and IOP), but the amount that is covered depends on whether the provider is in-network or not. In-network facilities with negotiated rates with insurers generally means:
Lower out-of-pocket costs
Lower deductibles and coinsurance
More predictable billing and a level of protection from surprise bills
Access to your plan’s out-of-pocket maximum protections
Out-of-network facilities do not have negotiated agreements with insurers, which generally leads to:
Higher deductibles
Higher coinsurance
Large balances that are not covered by insurance
“Balance billing” (being billed for charges that insurance does not cover)
Higher out-of-pocket expenses
A facility that says it “accepts insurance” does not necessarily mean it is in-network with your insurer.
To see how in-network vs. out-of-network rules impact cost, review this hypothetical comparison of a standard residential program bill under two different insurance scenarios:
Even with an insurance plan, you may still have some out-of-pocket costs. These costs can include:
Deductible: Amount you pay before insurance kicks in to share treatment costs.
Coinsurance: Percentage of costs you pay after you meet your deductible.
Copay: Fixed fee for a specific service or visit.
Out-of-pocket maximum: Annual cap on your in-network spending. Once you reach this amount, insurance generally covers 100% of additional covered services for the remainder of the year.
Allowed amount: Insurance companies negotiate discounted rates with in-network providers. Your costs are usually based on this lower amount rather than the facility’s list price.
For out-of-network care, you may also be billed for the difference between the insurer’s allowed amount and the facility’s full price.
If the initial sticker price looks too expensive, there is financial support available to ensure you can seek still care:
Medicaid: If your income falls below specific state thresholds, Medicaid provides addiction and detox benefits with almost zero out-of-pocket costs.
Grants: State behavioral health agencies have federal block grants to fund treatment for individuals without financial means.
Sliding-Scale Payment Plans: Many facilities offer sliding-scale fees adjusted to match your documented income.
Rehab Scholarships: Some advocacy foundations and treatment facilities have scholarship funds to cover treatment for qualified individuals.
Learn about payment plans, scholarships, grants, and other ways to make treatment more affordable.
Use Start Your Recovery’s treatment locator to find providers fully in-network with your insurance to narrow your choices to only a few facilities that will meet your care needs and are most likely in-network with your specific insurance.
Then you can reach out to the facilities on your shortlist to verify your insurance benefits. Many rehabs will verify your benefits for free and explain whether the program is in-network, what your estimated costs may be, and whether there are limits on length of stay. When you reach out, consider asking the facilities on your shortlist the following additional questions:
Are you a fully contracted, in-network provider with my insurance plan?
Will you handle my prior authorization and all ongoing insurance reviews at no additional cost?
Based on a verification of benefits, what is the cost estimate I will owe out-of-pocket to cover my deductible and co-insurance?