United Healthcare Substance Abuse Treatment Insurance Coverage
On this page, you will learn about UnitedHealthcare health insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment and how to confirm what benefits are available under your specific plan.
If you or a loved one are experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
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.
How to Read Your Insurance Provider Card
- 1Insurance Provider Name
- 2Policy Member's Full Name
- 3Policy Membership/Subscriber ID
Verification of Benefits Form
Please fill out the form below to verify your insurance coverage.
United Healthcare
Provider Overview
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is one of the largest health insurance companies, serving tens of millions of customers worldwide.1 You may be wondering, ‘does UnitedHealthcare cover rehab?’ If you or a loved one has UnitedHealthcare insurance and you are wondering how to pay for drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment, you can read the information below to learn about how addiction recovery programs are covered under UHC plans. While specifics vary from plan to plan, this page will help you understand what you may be able to expect when it comes to substance abuse coverage with UnitedHealthcare.
This page is intended to be a general overview of how UnitedHealthcare covers addiction and mental health services, not a comprehensive guide on the subject. For specific questions about your plan and UnitedHealthcare substance abuse coverage at American Addiction Centers’ facilities, call for free at . You can speak to a UnitedHealthcare representative directly and learn about how to pay for rehab.
UHC Coverage Levels and Plans
About UnitedHealthcare Insurance
The main types of policies UnitedHealthcare insurance offers are:
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans. These plans were developed after the ACA was passed. Since an employer makes no contributions with these plans, monthly premiums tend to be higher than those of standard healthcare plans. Premiums are set based on your income and the number of people in your household.2
- Group benefit plans. These plans are provided through your employer.3
- Government assistance plans. These include Medicare (mostly available for seniors) and Medicaid (mostly for low-income families and individuals). UHC allows Medicare and Medicaid customers to choose plans that provide additional coverage above the minimum.4
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Plans
UnitedHealthcare plans fit into two categories:3
- Open access plans. These plans typically restrict your coverage to treatment facilities that contract directly with UnitedHealthcare. There are two plans in this category:
- UnitedHealthcare Choice, which only covers physicians and treatment facilities within the UHC network.
- UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus, which covers providers outside the network; however, you will pay more out-of-pocket if you take this route.
- Preferred Provider Organization (PPO):
- The UnitedHealthcare PPO plan does not restrict you to providers within the network. If you choose out-of-network care, it will need to be approved beforehand and you will have to seek reimbursement from UHC afterward. Costs for these services will be greater than choosing UnitedHealthcare in-network facilities.
UHC Rehab Treatment Coverage
Does UnitedHealthcare Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab Treatment?
All the plans listed above provide coverage for substance abuse and behavioral health treatment. Rehabilitation services are primarily provided through:
- Inpatient treatment, where someone stays at a facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, receiving treatment for drug or alcohol use disorder. Often, this is done in a hospital setting so that patients can be monitored by medical staff. Program lengths vary. You may choose a 28- or 30-day program or a more long-term 60-day or 90-day inpatient program.
- Outpatient treatment. This is the least intensive option, requiring patients to attend a facility for a few hours several days a week.
Does UnitedHealthcare Insurance Cover Inpatient Rehabilitation?
UnitedHealthcare drug rehab or alcohol abuse treatment providers offer coverage for inpatient addiction treatment (this may exclude certain short-term insurance plans). The level of coverage or plans available may change depending on:
- The state of residence.
- The employer.
- Whether your family members are included in the plan.
Medication may be used to help a person manage withdrawal symptoms, cravings and co-occurring disorders. Some UHC plans may require a separate deductible for medications used during treatment. After the deductible is met, there is a copayment for each prescription.
The copay for medications varies widely depending on the type of medication and the UHC plan you have. Prescriptions obtained outside the network are not covered.5
Does UnitedHealthcare Insurance Cover Outpatient Rehabilitation?
UnitedHealthcare also provides coverage for outpatient drug and alcohol treatment. The specifics of your UnitedHealthcare rehab coverage will vary. There is no coinsurance for other outpatient services.
Out-of-network outpatient treatment or prescription medication is not covered.6
Learn more about inpatient vs. outpatient treatment.
Does UnitedHealthcare Insurance Cover Mental Health Treatment?
Substance misuse, behavioral health and mental health are categorized together with UnitedHealthcare insurance plans. An inpatient stay or outpatient treatment period for behavioral health or mental health reasons has the same level of coverage as treatment in an addiction center.5, 6
Check My UHC Drug Rehab Coverage
How to Check My UnitedHealthcare Substance Abuse Treatment Insurance Coverage
There are a few different ways to check your UnitedHealthcare rehab coverage:
- Login to the MyUHC benefits portal. Creating an account requires your:7
- Member ID number and group policy number or your social security number (SSN) and zip code.
- Check the benefits packet you were given by your employer when you selected an insurance plan.
- Call customer service:8
- Medicaid members: Use the number on your insurance card or login to the UHC community plan site.
In most cases, UnitedHealthcare insurance provides coverage for substance abuse treatment and mental health services. Just be sure you choose a facility that is within the UHC network or that your plan allows you to use out-of-network facilities.
To find out if your insurance plan covers treatment at an American Addiction Centers (AAC) facility, you can reach out to an admissions navigator for free at . You can also use the “Verify Your Insurance” portal.
Additional Resources
- Ambetter Insurance
- Aetna Insurance Coverage
- Humana Health Insurance
- Cigna Insurance
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Kaiser Permanente
- Veterans’ Insurance
Related Resources
AAC Locations
Learn more about our treatment facilties
American Addiction Centers (AAC) owns and operates facilities at various locations nationwide to provide you or your loved one addiction and mental health care.
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of this form?
By filling out and submitting this form, you will instantly receive results confirming if your insurance provider is actively covering addiction related services and treatments or not. If your insurance is in network with American Addiction Centers (AAC) you will be notified by our admission navigators.
What are the next steps?
You will be contacted by an American Addiction Centers (AAC) admissions navigator who will provide you with information to help you make an informed decision about addiction treatment. Our admissions navigators are available to answer any questions you may have as you consider whether treatment with AAC is right for you.
Which treatment centers can I go to?
American Addiction Centers (AAC) has multiple locations across the country. Depending on your insurance coverage, our admission navigators will provide information about which location will best cover your treatment and fit your treatment needs. See our locations.