What is Blue Cross Blue Shield?

Deciding to seek rehabilitation treatment for drug or alcohol addiction can be a step in the right direction, but you may have some concerns about treatment. Paying for addiction treatment and rehab services and navigating rehab insurance coverage levels can be confusing. The majority of insurance plans, however, do offer some addiction treatment coverage for substance abuse. This article discusses:

Basic information about Blue Cross Blue Shield rehab coverage.
Healthcare coverage levels and plans.
How to check your healthcare benefits.
Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover drug and alcohol rehab services?

Blue Cross started in 1929 as a plan to make healthcare affordable for Baylor University hospital patients.¹ Blue Shield had a similar start, offering health services to workers in exchange for a monthly payment.¹ These two plans spread rapidly and merged in the 1940s.¹ Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Health Plans provide coverage to one-third of Americans. Coverage is available in all 50 states and is widely accepted nation

Check Your Policy Coverage

With the form below you can quickly and privately check your insurance benefits to see if you're covered for addiction treatment services. We'll be able to tell you if your policy is in-network at an American Addiction Centers location.

Check to see if your insurance is in-network at an American Addiction Centers location

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Blue Cross Blue Shield Drug and Alcohol Rehab Coverage Levels and Plans

While BCBS rehab coverage levels can vary based on which state you are in, most plans are broken into 3 levels:³

Bronze plans have the lowest premiums, but out-of-pocket costs are higher. BCBS pays about 60% of the costs of your medical care once your deductible is met.
Silver plans have higher premiums, but you pay less out-of-pocket than with a bronze plan. BCBS pays about 70% of your medical care after your deductible is met.
Gold plans have the highest premiums and lowest out-of-pocket costs. BCBS pays about 80% of your medical care once your deductible is met.

BCBS participates in Medicaid, which is a health insurance program for people with low incomes who often have severe health conditions.⁴ Medicare, a federal insurance program for people aged 65 and older, is also administered through Blue Cross Blue Shield.⁵

The advantage of a large, nationwide insurance company like BCBS means that you can easily access out-of-state drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment.⁶The BlueCard program allows you to benefit from local BCBS drug and alcohol rehab plan rates even if you decide to seek treatment outside of your home state at Blue Cross Blue Shield rehab facilities.⁶

How to Check Your Blue Cross Blue Shield Rehab Coverage

If you want to check your insurance benefits or find out if your BCBS health insurance covers drug or alcohol abuse rehabilitation, you can call the phone number on the back of your insurance card to connect with a customer service representative. You can also access your benefits through the BCBS website, which will connect you to your local Blue Cross Blue Shield substance abuse provider.

Drug and alcohol rehab plans with BCBS offer coverage for current and former federal employees across the United States.⁷ As the leading insurance plan in the United States for federal workers, the BCBS Federal Employee Plan insures about 5.3 million current and former federal workers and their families.^7,8 There are 3 plans available:⁷

The standard plan offers access to in-network and out-of-network providers, with higher premiums, low deductible, the lowest out-of-pocket maximum, and lower copays than the basic plan.
The basic plan offers access to in-network providers, with a lower premium, no deductible, higher out-of-pocket maximum than the standard plan, and the highest copays.
The FEP Blue Focus plan offers access to in-network providers, with the lowest premiums, higher deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, and the lowest copays.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Cover Drug & Alcohol Rehab?

If you’re wondering whether your BCBS insurance plan covers rehab treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, the short answer is ‘yes.’ The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all insurance plans to cover specific services, known as essential health benefits.⁹ Mental health services are included as an essential health benefit, although specific plans cover varying levels of services.⁹ In general, Blue Cross Blue Shield mental health coverage includes inpatient and outpatient substance abuse rehab and addiction treatment services that are in-network and considered to be medically necessary.³ There may be limits on what type of treatment will be covered, or for how long, and you may need authorization before you start drug and alcohol rehab treatment with Blue Cross Blue Shield.

You may be eager to learn more about Blue Cross Blue Shield drug rehab coverage. You might be wondering, ‘will my insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield cover drug rehab?’ or ‘what rehab centers accept Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance?’ If you have questions about the specific Blue Cross Blue Shield drug and alcohol addiction therapy coverage that is included in your insurance plan and want to know more, calling the number on your card is the best way to learn about the services that would be covered and what your financial responsibility would be. You can also check to see if your insurance is accepted for treatment at American Addiction Centers rehab facilities. Alternatively, please call .

BCBS is a well-established insurance company that offers health insurance to many people across the country. A variety of coverage plans is available at Blue Cross Blue Shield drug rehab centers. They offer different levels of benefits, although each provides coverage for substance use disorder treatment regardless of where you decide to seek care. Since Blue Cross Blue Shield drug and alcohol rehab coverage can vary depending on the plan and your location, it is important to check your insurance before seeking treatment.

Additional Resources on Health Insurance Providers and Coverage Levels

Visit the links below to find out more about your health insurance coverage levels, how to get your insurance company to pay for treatment at drug and alcohol addiction rehab centers, and also how to pay for rehab if you don’t have insurance.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Coverage for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Rehabilitation