Using California Cigna Health Insurance for Addiction Treatment

California is the most populous state in the country, with 39,512,223 living there as of 2019.² Also known as the Golden State, California is home to Los Angeles (also known as Hollywood), which is the state’s most populous city.² In addition to having a large population of people in general, California has a large prevalence rate of substance use.

From 2017-2019, 2.7 million people aged 12 or older cited past-year substance use disorder.³ Of those, on a single-day count in March 2019, 96,960 people were enrolled in a substance use disorder program in California.³ The majority of those enrolled were in rehab for a drug-only problem (60.1%), while 10.9% were enrolled in an alcohol-only treatment plan, and the remaining were enrolled in treatment for both.³ What these numbers go to show is that if you’re in California and are struggling with addiction, you’re not alone. Contact the admissions navigators at any point to learn more about how you can get help.

Cigna Healthcare, formerly known as Cigna, is an international health benefits company.¹ More than 190 million people have a plan with Cigna Healthcare.¹ While it is primarily known for its medical health insurance plans, Cigna also provides Medicare, dental, and other supplemental health benefits plans.⁴ 

 If you live in California and have a Cigna health insurance plan, you may be able to use it to cover some or all the costs associated with addiction treatment. For more information about what is covered under your plan, reach out to our admissions navigators today.

In addition to offering private insurance plans through the employer market and Medicare, Cigna sells plans to individuals and families through the Health Insurance Marketplace.⁵

Cigna Marketplace plans are categorized into 4 different levels, each offering different price points and breadth of coverage:⁶

• Bronze plans are the cheapest plan types in terms of monthly premiums. However, you have the highest out-of-pocket costs with a Bronze plan, as the annual deductible is the highest out of the plan options.
• Silver plans are the next cheapest option, with moderate monthly premiums. Annual out-of-pocket costs are also moderate. You may be eligible to receive savings to lower costs with a Silver plan.
• Gold plans are expensive plans, as the monthly premiums are considered to be high. However, because the health plan pays for about 80% of costs, out-of-pocket costs are low.
• The most expensive plans are Platinum plans, but they come with the highest level of coverage and lowest out-of-pocket costs when using healthcare services.

Under the Affordable Care Act, almost all health plans, including those offered on the Marketplace through Cigna, must at least partially cover inpatient rehab in California.⁷ How much is covered under your plan depends on a variety of factors, including the plan that you have and where you seek care. You can use our online benefits verification tool to check what may be covered under your Cigna plan.

Your Cigna health plan will cover at least some of the cost of outpatient rehab in California, as almost all U.S. health plans are mandated by the ACA to provide such coverage.⁷ The extent of coverage you may have will vary based on the Cigna plan you have, the treatment you need, and where you seek care. Use the Verify Insurance page to check your benefits and coverage prior to seeking treatment whenever possible.

There are numerous types of mental health treatment available in California. Your Cigna plan may provide coverage for these various treatment types, including the following:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Contingency management (CM)
• Rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Motivational interviewing (MI)
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Matrix model
• Family therapy

There may be additional types of addiction programs from which you’d benefit. Your Cigna health insurance plan should cover some or all the costs of these specialized programs. Here are 3 examples of additional types of addiction rehab programs:

• Couples addiction treatment. Entering joint treatment, whether both members of a couple are struggling with addiction or just one partner, can help alleviate some of the strain addiction places on the relationship and give both parties tools for overcoming the challenges they face.⁸
• Veterans rehab programs. In this type of specialized treatment program, staff is trained to help Veterans and first responders manage their substance use disorder and provide additional treatment for other common mental health issues Veterans face, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).⁹
• Aftercare. Many people benefit from continuing treatment even after finishing rehab, which is known as an aftercare program.¹⁰

Cigna works with a variety of healthcare providers to provide rehab services. This may include American Addiction Centers’ (AAC) treatment facilities, which are located across the country:

• AdCare Rhode Island: Located in Rhode Island, this AAC facility provides a variety of addiction treatment services, including behavioral disorder treatment, intensive outpatient services, outpatient services, and detox services.
• Desert Hope Treatment Center: This Las Vegas-based facility specializes in a variety of treatment offerings, including a targeted program for Veterans, military personnel, and first responders.
• Greenhouse Treatment Center: This Texas-based facility provides treatment that spans the full continuum of care for substance use disorders, mental health disorders, and co-occurring disorders.
• Laguna Treatment Center: This California-based facility provides family programs, individualized treatment, and aftercare support services.
• Oxford Treatment Center: This Mississippi-based facility provides residential rehab services, family programs, and medical detoxification services.
• River Oaks Treatment Center: This Florida-based facility provides detoxification, residential treatment, and aftercare programs.

There are rehabs near me that can provide the treatment you need. Check out the directory to find a list of facilities and programs.

AAC works with a variety of other healthcare insurance companies beyond Cigna. A list of other insurance companies that may also cover at least some of the costs associated with addiction treatment include the following:

• Aetna
• Humana
• Kaiser Permanente
• Blue Cross Blue Shield

While many people are paying for addiction treatment with insurance, there may be some additional costs that are not covered by your Cigna plan. Depending on the rehab facility, you may have options to pay for additional costs not covered by insurance. Examples of options that may be available to you include special financing, sliding scale fees, and cash-based discounts.

If you are paying without insurance, you should ask the rehab facility if you qualify for scholarships, special financing, or grants. Additionally, there may be free rehabs near you or state-funded rehabs that can help you get the care you need at little to no out-of-pocket cost. Call the admissions navigators today to learn more about these options and whether they’re available to you.

1. Cigna Healthcare. (n.d.). Cigna milestones.
2. United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). State facts for students – California.
3. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Behavioral health barometer: California, volume 6: Indicators as measured through the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services.
4. Cigna Healthcare. (n.d.). Health insurance plans for individuals and families.
5. Healthcare.gov. (n.d.). How to pick a health insurance plan.
6. Cigna Healthcare. (n.d.). Home.
7. Healthcare.gov. (n.d.). Mental health & substance abuse coverage.
8. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). Substance abuse and intimate relationships.
9. Teeters, J.B., Lancaster, C.L., Brown, D.G., & Back, S.E. (2017). Substance use disorders in military Veterans: prevalence and treatment challenges. Substance abuse and rehabilitation, 8, 69–77.
10. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). What is substance abuse treatment? (Originally published 2004).