Expert Insights
As a former social worker in Kentucky, I have had experience working with teenagers combatting substance use.
In a lot of cases, many teens had criminal justice records on top of their addictions. The adolescents whom I worked with also smoked tobacco products in addition to illegal drugs.
According to the America’s Health Rankings website, 6.4% of adolescents ages 12-17 in Kentucky reported using illicit drugs monthly between the year 2021-2022. Not only do drugs damage their health, but their behavior as well.
During the 2022-2023 school year, over 28,370 behavior incidents took place in schools that involved drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. Unless we do more, these numbers will only go up.
~ Geordyn Houston, LMSW
How Much Does Drug Rehab Cost in Kentucky?
Kentucky is ranked 34th nationwide in terms of addiction treatment affordability, with an average cost of drug and alcohol rehab of $57,033 (without insurance).
- Medical detox is the most expensive, with an average cost of $140,607
- Long-term inpatient drug rehab in Kentucky costs an average of $50,328
- Outpatient addiction treatment in Kentucky costs an average of $8,363
- Outpatient methadone treatment is the most affordable, with an average cost of $7,430
Many factors determine the cost of attending addiction treatment centers, including location, amenities, funding sources, length of stay, and what percentage you or your insurance can pay. It may also depend on which type of facility you attend. For example, a faith-based program will be different than a public, state-funded program or a private luxury drug and alcohol rehab.
How to Pay for Drug Rehab in Kentucky
As of 2024, there were over 530 drug rehab facilities across the state of Kentucky. These facilities accept several payment methods. Of those treatment facilities, the following numbers reflect how many accept their respective payment methods:
447 accept self-payment or cash
264 offer sliding-scale fees for those without insurance
382 accept Medicaid insurance coverage
225 accept state funded insurance coverage
357 accept private health insurance
190 offer free or low-cost treatment
8 offer free treatment for all clients
14 accept tribal funding
Private Pay + Insurance
You have options to pay for treatment in Kentucky, with many of them accepting health insurance and some will even allow you to self pay. Each insurance is different in what specific type of rehab that it will cover. It is important to talk with your insurance provider to understand in and out of network benefits and coverage.
Here are some of the following major private insurance carriers in Kentucky:
- United Healthcare
- Humana
- Aetna Better Health of Kentucky
- Elevance Health
Medicaid and Medicare
Medicaid and Medicare cover a variety of different addiction treatment options in the state of Kentucky. They can be used on addiction treatment services like detox and outpatient rehab. You might be responsible for a co-pay. If needed, you can apply for additional funding sources such as federal or state grants or scholarships from a drug rehab center to pay for treatment. However, some programs will offer a sliding fee scale on top of Medicaid and Medicare to pay for treatment expenses.
Military Insurance
If you are a Veteran, or have military insurance such as TRICARE, substance use treatment can be covered. TRICARE covers a variety of services such as inpatient care, medication assisted treatment, outpatient services, partial hospitalization programs, and residential care. Kentucky’s Veterans Program Trust Fund to help cover costs for services not covered by other veterans programs.
Tribal Funding/Programs
The purpose of the Tribal Opioid Response Grant is to help address the rise in opioid use within Tribal communities. This has helped with the lack of access to treatment and has increased access to culturally appropriate and evidence-based treatment. In Kentucky, they have IHS-Tribal-Urban funds that are used to support funding for alcohol and substance use treatment programs. They are provided by the Indian Health Service to Tribal and Urban Indian health programs.
Other Low Cost Options
Each rehab is different and other low cost options can vary between each one. Some programs may offer financial aid such as scholarships to help pay for treatment. Others may offer a sliding payment scale based on income. It is important to talk with your provider to see what options they offer when it comes to paying for or accessing treatment.
Resources
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). 2019-2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health State-Specific Tables: Kentucky.
- Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy. (2020). 2020 Overdose Fatality Report.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (NSSATS): 2020 Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities.
- Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. (2022). Provider Directory.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2020). Chapter 3—Identifying, Screening for, and Assessing Substance Abuse in Older Adults. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 26. Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults: UPDATED 2020. Rockville (MD).
- Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy. (2020). Treatment and Recovery Resources.
