Outpatient Drug & Alcohol Rehabs in New York

Many states face challenges with substance abuse and mental health, and these vary depending on economic, cultural, and other demographic factors. New York, for example, tends to have high rates of heroin use and overdose compared to the national average.

In addition, very few New Yorkers access treatment for alcohol and illicit drug dependence.

New York has a higher-than-average prevalence of heroin use and rate of overdose deaths. New York ranks lower than average in terms of opioid prescription abuse, but is showing rapid increases in the number of deaths related to heroin and opioid overdoses.

• Death rates from prescription opioids quadrupled from 2005 to 2014.¹
• Heroin overdoses from 2004 to 2014 increased 25 times.¹
• Overall, 8.5% of people in New York 12 years of age and older report using marijuana in the past month, which is close to the national average number of 8.9% from 2015 and 2016.^4,5
• From 2009-2013, only about 5.3% of people age 12 or older with alcohol dependence or abuse issues received treatment each year.⁹
• From 2009-2013, only about 12.8% of people age 12 and older who needed treatment for illicit drug dependence or abuse received it.⁹
• The number of people in substance abuse treatment in the state has decreased over the past few years, going from 122,929 in 2011 to 113,713 in 2015.²

Many different elements impact the cost of recovery. These factors include:

• Length of stay (28-30 days, 60 days, 90 days).
• Type of program.
• Insurance policy.

If you have insurance, call your provider to speak to someone about your individual plan. In the state of New York, 75% of all treatment facilities accept private insurance.⁷

If you don’t have insurance, don’t let that keep you from seeking treatment. Many facilities understand the financial burden associated with getting treatment and want to increase access to those who need it. Forty-seven percent of New York recovery programs provide treatment free of charge for people who cannot pay, and 79% offer a sliding scale payment structure, meaning the cost is reduced according to your income level and what you can realistically afford.⁷

As of 2015, New York had 901 substance abuse treatment facilities, with around 113,000 people receiving treatment.⁷ The majority of these are private, non-profit facilities. It is interesting to note that:

• The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) reported that 48% of individuals served in state-certified treatment programs had heroin as the primary drug abused, 24% had alcohol, and 13% reported marijuana in 2015.⁸
• Nearly 90% of those in treatment in 2015 received outpatient treatment.⁷
• The rate of medically assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid abuse was 179 per 100,000 people in New York.⁷

Fifty-three percent of New York treatment facilities offer treatment for people with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. ⁷

• The state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services offers a treatment provider directory.
• The state chapter for Alcoholics Anonymous can provide connection to 12-step meetings for AA throughout New York State.
• Narcotics Anonymous 12-step self-help groups are located throughout New York as well.
• For veterans in New York, a treatment helpline is available.

Insurance Providers

Learn more about some addiction treatment insurance providers:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Aetna
• Ambetter
• Kaiser Permanente
• Humana
• UnitedHealthcare

1. Office of the New York State Comptroller (2016). Prescription opioid abuse and heroin addiction in New York State.
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Behavioral health barometer: New York, Volume 4.
3. Centers for Disease Control (2016). Alcohol and public health.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Estimates of marijuana use and related indicators. National survey on drug use and health. New York, 2002-2014.
5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Results from the 2016 National survey on drug use and health. Detailed tables.
6. New York State Office of Mental Health (2017). Patient characteristics survey. Summary reports.
7. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). National survey of substance abuse treatment services. 2015 State profile: New York.
8. Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (2017). ­­Average daily enrollment for 2015.
9. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Behavioral health barometer: New York, 2014.

Blue Cross Blue Shield: New York Insurance for Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers

If you live in New York and are struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD), rehab can help with your treatment, management, and long-term recovery. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that people who begin and remain in treatment, discontinue using drugs and improve the social, occupational, and psychological aspects of their lives.¹

Like any chronic disease, a substance use disorder can be managed successfully.¹ Based on their specific health plan, New Yorkers with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) health insurance are able to access a variety of drug and alcohol rehab services including detox, inpatient/outpatient care, medications, and therapy.

Does BCBS Cover Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment in NY?

There are four Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance companies located throughout the state of New York.² Based on where you live, you may be insured by Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, or Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.²

The Affordable Care Act requires that health care plans include mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse as essential health benefits.³ The best way to find out what your specific coverage levels are for drug and alcohol addiction treatment is to verify your benefits.