Is Inpatient Rehab an Expensive Treatment Option?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, outpatient treatment “costs less than residential or inpatient treatment and is often more suitable for people with jobs or extensive social supports.” While this is true in most cases, there are more inexpensive options that exist for those who require inpatient care and sometimes even free centers where patients can stay and receive the treatment they need without any cost to themselves.

Why Are Inpatient Programs So Expensive?

Usually, these facilities are more costly than outpatient programs for several reasons:

• Patients stay all day and all night, requiring more care and more accommodations for their needs.
• More staff is required to run the facility smoothly.
• Patients often have longer treatment periods, making the costs to the facility higher.
• These facilities often offer more treatment options than outpatient centers, such as exercise programs, relaxation techniques, classes, and vocational, educational, and housing help.

If you do decide to attend an inpatient program, you will likely receive more amenities and options, some of which are not necessary to recovery. However, some people do need inpatient care specifically.

Inpatient Care is Sometimes Necessary

Inpatient rehab facilities offer exercise programs, which can be expensive.

Certain individuals require inpatient care in order to create a strong foundation of recovery from their addictions and even for them to be treated for other issues. It is very common for physical and psychological issues to co-occur with drug addiction, and according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “Integrated treatment… is associated with lower costs and better outcomes” in this instance. This is something inpatient and residential treatment centers are much more likely to provide than outpatient programs.

Inpatient care can be necessary for a patient to achieve the kind of results they require, and although these programs can often be more expensive than outpatient centers, it should not stop a person from attending inpatient care if they truly need it.

How Can I Find Inexpensive Inpatient Care?

You can find programs that may be more likely to provide low-cost or even free inpatient care by reaching out to those in your community with the knowledge of these facilities.

• Your personal physician may possibly know of some facilities close by where you can receive low-cost treatment. They will also know your medical history, which will help inform them about which programs would be more likely to help you.
• The doctors and nurses at a free clinic likely have some treatment facilities in the area to which they have recommended patients before, and because the facility takes in low-income patients, they will often know others that do as well.
• The volunteers at your local community outreach center will often be able to recommend places you can go to receive free or low-cost treatment for your needs.

Inpatient Rehab Needn’t Be an Expensive Option

While most inpatient rehab programs are often more expensive than outpatient centers (and understandably so), they will not all be completely out of your price range, especially if you look for the type of program that caters to your needs. If you have questions or want to find an inpatient treatment program in your area, call 800-430-1407Who Answers?.

Are Inpatient Services for Addiction Expensive?