Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is the largest not-for-profit managed care organization in America and was founded in 1945. It is made up of three organizations: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, and Permanente Medical Groups. It offers high-quality and affordable healthcare through individual and family medical insurance plans. Kaiser provides medical insurance to approximately 12.4 million members in America. As of 2021, Kaiser Permanente plans became available for purchase through the Marketplace several states including California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Washington, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Oregon. Kaiser Permanente, itself does not offer its own substance abuse and/ or addiction treatment programs. The specific substance abuse and/ or addiction treatment coverage may vary between Kaiser Permanente plans, but all include some level of coverage for in-network providers delivering outpatient, intensive outpatient, and inpatient services.
Outpatient Treatment
Substance abuse and/ or addiction treatment programs can be quite costly. The exact out-of-pocket cost for attending a treatment program will be specific to the program selected. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), which was passed into federal law 1996, and combined with subsequent acts, requires health insurance providers, including Kaiser Permanente, to offer benefits for substance abuse and mental health services that are equal to those for other medical and surgical services. There is a significant range of potential costs and fees related to each treatment program. Outpatient treatment is generally considered to be the most cost-effective substance abuse and/ or addiction treatment option, as they do not require payment for room and board.
It is, however, important to take into consideration all possible payment options. Some outpatient programs may not accept insurance as a form of payment and would require their participants to be responsible for paying the entire cost of the program out-of-pocket. Alternatively, there are some programs such as the inpatient program at Friendly House that work with insurance companies (e.g. Kaiser) and do accept insurance as a form of payment (or partial payment, depending on your plan). This can greatly reduce one’s out-of-pocket costs, making an inpatient treatment program far more cost-effective. It is imperative to be mindful of the fact that although there are many substance cases of abuse and/ or addiction treatment programs available, not all programs will accept insurance as a form of payment, nor will all health plans provide coverage for every facility and/ or program. Prior to making any commitments, it is best to verify the specifics of one’s health insurance plan in order to be aware of any deductibles, coverage limits, and/ or to obtain any referrals or preauthorization that may be needed for attending a substance abuse and/ or addiction treatment program.
For Information and Support
Substance abuse and addiction can be incredibly dangerous and can result in severe short and long-term consequences. If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse or addiction, please get help as soon as possible. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to leading happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives. There is no reason to go through this alone, and we are here to help. Please feel free to reach out to us for further information or with any questions regarding substance abuse or addiction. We are available anytime via telephone at: 213-389-9964, or you can always email us at: info@friendlyhousela.org.
