You may have heard people talk about Obamacare on the news. It may even have you asking yourself, well, what is Obamacare? Where did it come from? And how might this affect my options for substance abuse treatment, or the addiction treatment I’m looking to receive?
Although not every rehab accepts Obamacare, this federally-funded government insurance has had an immense impact on the addiction industry as a whole since its conception.
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Health Care Act into law. Often called Obamacare, ACA, or PPACA, this comprehensive healthcare reform law has three main goals:
- The first goal is to make health care insurance more readily available to all United States citizens. Its costs for citizens is based on the federal poverty level, making it much more attainable for households of all income levels.
- ACA’s second goal is to expand the federal Medicaid program to allow lower-income families and individuals to be included in the Medicaid program.
- Obamacare’s third initiative is to initiate and support medical care delivery methods that will help bridge the gap between health care costs and affordable treatment plans for everyone.
Since being signed into federal legislation in March of 2010, the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, has helped millions of Americans who could not afford health insurance plans in the past. The costs of private insurance and the limits that insurance companies put on their insured members were astronomical.
With the ACA’s enactment, receiving health care benefits since 2010 has become a considerably more stable pursuit. It also sparked more health insurance choices to become available for United States citizens looking for mental health coverage.
Obamacare was able to offer health plans to those who were previously uninsurable before March 2010. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) provided insurance benefits to Americans who were previously turned down by insurance companies because they had already been diagnosed with the condition that most insurance companies would not cover for new members.
Obamacare has literally changed the face of the drug and alcohol substance use recovery industry. Offering health insurance to those who previously did not have any allows clients to enter addiction treatment programs that they could not afford without the financial support created by the Affordable Care Act.
Hotel California By The Sea is an addiction treatment center that will help you navigate through the ins and outs of health insurance and get the individualized treatment that you or your loved one needs. You can call HCBTS or chat with a representative live through our website to see which insurance plans we accept.
For additional information about how Hotel California By the Sea can help you enter into treatment, visit our Admissions page.
How The ACA Changed The Addiction Treatment Industry
Now you know a little more about Obamacare and how the ACA made its way into millions of Americans’ lives. So, what does this federally-funded insurance have to do with substance use disorders and treatment facilities (even those like Hotel California by the Sea, who don’t accept Obamacare, Medicaid, or Medicare)? The short answer is, well, “a lot!”
First and foremost, when President Barack Obama signed the ACA, it required that all of its insurance plans require coverage for behavioral health treatment if recommended by a medical doctor.
Medical Necessity And Behavioral Health Treatment Equality
On the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s website, they state, “The ACA includes substance use disorders as one of the ten elements of essential health benefits. This means that all health insurance sold on Health Insurance Exchanges or provided by Medicaid to certain newly eligible adults starting in 2014 must include services for substance use disorders. By including these benefits in health insurance packages, more health care providers can offer and be reimbursed for these services, resulting in more individuals having access to treatment.”
Now, many people have health insurance through Obamacare. The Act has also improved the health insurance industry and the healthcare profession for those in need of drug rehab and addiction treatment. Here are some ways that Obamacare has revolutionized drug and alcohol recovery and treatment facilities.
The ACA served as a leader for private health insurance companies in recognizing mental health and addiction treatment as a medical necessity.
Treatment When You Need It
The Affordable Care Act put patient protections in place that previously hadn’t been solidified in other plans. This gave clients a choice to pick between their preferred doctors and eliminated the requirement that primary care doctors pre-approve emergency care visits. Therefore, if you are having a mental health episode or seeking addiction treatment for your alcohol or drug use issues, you don’t need to hesitate or think twice to visit an emergency care facility with Obamacare.
No (Or Fewer) Limits
Additionally, there are no lifetime dollar limits on health insurance coverage for those with Obamacare coverage. People always worry that treatment facility costs would put them closer to a health insurance lifetime maximum benefit amount, but this is not the case with Obamacare. There is no ceiling on health insurance benefits for members in the ACA.
The ACA has also streamlined the appeals process for its insured. If there is a problem with a claim payout, it is much easier to follow the processes laid out by the ACA. This should ease many people who may be hesitant to reach out for help with their addiction recovery.
No Restrictions On Pre-Existing Conditions
And, again, there are no restrictions on pre-existing conditions, which prevented many clients in the past from reaching out for help with their substance use disorders.
Through its Ten Titles, the ACA has solved many problems that were previously faced with America’s health insurance companies. Obamacare initiatives have raised the equitability of who gets accepted and lowered healthcare costs while also improving the way the health care system functions and operates. Americans have seen improvement in the quality of healthcare, along with increased efficiency.
More Accountability
Alongside these benefits comes the added boost through the Affordable Care Act of more preventive measures and more community outreach programs. Obamacare has also made health insurance companies more accountable for how they handle claims and how they offer insurance policies, ending many past discriminatory methods.
Before the enactment of the ACA, there was another set of acts that also helped improve healthcare for those with drug addictions or alcohol abuse. These acts were called The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity of 2008 (MHPAEA).
The MHPAEA disallows health insurance carriers to make it more difficult for patients with mental health and substance use disorders to get insurance. Before 2008, health insurance companies were allowed much more free reign in deciding which people they would accept or take on as insured clients.
So how does all this help with addiction recovery? Treatment is now available because of the Affordable Health Care Act to many more clients than ever before. The health insurance process has been streamlined to assist clients and treatment centers in assuring coverage. If the need to appeal an insurance decision is necessary, the ACA’s method is simpler and more straightforward.
Also, more options are now offered to clients due to Obamacare. The healthcare industry has had to be more transparent and accountable concerning modalities, equity in the diversity of clients accepted into programs. The Affordable Care Act has also placed much more emphasis on community outreach programs designed with the idea of continued and lifelong support for people with mental health issues or substance use disorders.
Hotel California By The Sea offers many recovery options for men, women, and young adults who have alcohol or drug addiction disorders and are looking for help. HCBTS understands how the ACA works and helps future, present, and previous clients create a treatment plan that will work for them.
Get Treatment For Your Substance Use Disorder
Obamacare has really helped improve the health care systems here in the United States and set a standard ethical health coverage model for other private insurance agencies. Although HCBTS does not accept Obamacare health insurance for addiction treatment at this time, we admire its revolutionary ideals and the standards it set for private health insurance companies. We can help you find the professional assistance you deserve.
Hotel California By the Sea stands prepared to help you and your family members walk through the journey of recovery. HCBTS works with men, women, and young adults in developing an alcohol and/or drug treatment plan to help them overcome their substance use disorder.
Our state-of-the-art facility offers group therapy, individual therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, drug detox services, dual diagnosis programs, and much more in a residential program or through outpatient services. And this is all within the beautiful and calming surroundings of Orange County, California.
Obamacare has helped open the door to advanced, up-to-date, science-based treatment for alcohol use disorder or drug use disorder. Just check out our website, speak in a Live Chat with one of our very compassionate and knowledgeable representatives, or call us at (800) 626-6717.
We are not only interested in your recovery while in our treatment facility, but also in the path you take once you exit our doors. We will always be here for you. From the moment you reach out to us, you will realize that you are never alone. We will be right by your side, helping you develop a plan that leads to your recovery in the most affordable way.