Expert Insights
With Pennsylvania already struggling through a modern wave of the opioid epidemic, the arrival of a drug called xylazine is making it even worse. Xylazine is a cheap, unregulated veterinary tranquilizer that dealers are using to cut fentanyl because it amplifies and extends the opioid’s high. When combined, the deadly fentanyl / xylazine mixture known as “tranq dope.” And Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood is wearing the wounds of its impact…literally. Addicted residents of the open-air drug market now wander the streets exhibiting the typical sign of xylazine use: non-healing necrotic ulcers (often tunneling all the way down to the bone) in the places where they inject. As if fentanyl wasn’t bad enough on its own? Why in the world do we need another additive to make it stronger? And here’s the thing that frightens me most about this “tranq dope” trend: xylazine is a sedative, not an opioid, so the people who overdose on “tranq dope” don’t respond as well to naloxone. This will only lead to higher rates of death and life-threatening infection.
~ Nikki Seay
How Expensive is Drug Rehab in Philadelphia?
Not treating addiction can be costly to your health, relationships, and ability to work. But how much does it cost?
It depends on a few things:
Type of facility: Outpatient treatment is less expensive than inpatient care.
Size of the treatment center: Larger facilities typically cost less than smaller ones.
Types of care offered: Numerous options can increase the cost of rehabilitation.
Length of the program: The length of your inpatient stay can influence the price.
Amenities: Perks like a gym, pool, spa, massage therapy, and dieticians boost the cost.
For inpatient facilities and detox centers in Philadelphia, a 30-day stay costs between $14,000 and $27,000 and includes room and board. Outpatient treatments range from $3,000 to $10,000 for 30 days of care.
Pennsylvania has 604 rehab programs as of March 31, 2020. They vary from private and for-profit to entirely free. The following figures reflect the number of facilities that offer the respective payment options:1
555 accept self-payment or cash
287 offer sliding-scale fees for those without insurance
513 accept Medicaid insurance coverage
139 accept Federal military insurance (Tricare)
453 accept private health insurance
5 accept Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban (ITU) funds
As you can see, most drug and alcohol rehabs in Philadelphia accept either private insurance or Medicaid. It is essential to verify the types of payments or insurance the facility accepts. By choosing an in-network facility that has an agreement with your insurance provider, you will have fewer out-of-pocket expenses. If you have private insurance, you may have more access to treatment, as some facilities cap the number of available Medicaid beds depending on state law.13
Since 2015, as part of the ACA, Pennsylvania expanded its Medicaid insurance to allow those who did not previously qualify to be insured. As of May 2021, more than 3 million Pennsylvanians were covered with Medicaid insurance.6 The program allows you to choose among more than 10 insurance plans.
Are There Low-Cost and Free Drug Rehab Centers in Philadelphia?
If you are underinsured, uninsured, and unable to pay for care, the Philadelphia Single County Authority (SCA) assists you with federal, state, and city funding for alcohol and drug rehab in Philadelphia based on your financial eligibility. Within the city, dozens of facilities work with the Philadelphia SCA.
How Does Philadelphia Compare in Alcohol and Drug Use?
According to local officials, the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl is the Philadelphia area’s top drug threat. In 2021, The City of Brotherly Love saw a total of 1,276 drug overdose deaths, according to data from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.1 82% of the overdose deaths that year involved fentanyl. This powerful drug has been found in cocaine, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills, and other drugs. If you or a loved one is battling substance abuse, there is help within reach. There are nearly 200 accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Philadelphia.2
On a single day—March 31, 2020—over 45,000 people were undergoing treatment in Philadelphia drug rehabs.1
In 2019, 24,509 people with Medicaid received addiction treatment, primarily in outpatient clinics.2
3,081 uninsured or underinsured people received addiction treatment in Philadelphia in 2019.2
Of the 3,081 patients who received treatment, the most commonly abused substance was heroin.3
In 2017, the Department of Public Health found one in three Philadelphians were taking prescription opioids (oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, or codeine).
Fentanyl caused a 65 percent increase in state overdose deaths. In Philadelphia, opioid overdoses led to 8,000 emergency room visits and 914 deaths – an astounding 84 percent of those deaths involved fentanyl.4
Alcohol and Drug Laws in Philadelphia
Regarding substance use in Pennsylvania, these laws are on the books:
Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan Overdose Immunity Law: This law, Act 139, SB 1164, protects you if you help a friend or loved one who has overdosed on drugs. You are even protected if you also use drugs and are on probation or parole.
Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Control Act: Officially named Act 1972-63, this law keeps medical and treatment records of substance use disorder confidential. The federal counterpart, CFR 42, mandates records of patients who undergo treatment for substance abuse remain confidential.
State Drug Treatment Program: Pennsylvania provides alcohol and drug rehab for you if you have been convicted of a nonviolent, drug-related crime. You may avoid jail time with this judge-ordered alcohol or drug program.
With so many accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Philadelphia, it is essential to find the best facility and program for yourself or a loved one. Please contact
800-681-1058
(
Who Answers?)
to get the help you need, today.
Resources
- Operation Engage Philadelphia. (n.d.). Www.dea.gov.
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services 2020 State Profile—Pennsylvania.
- Substance Use Philadelphia. (2019). Substance Use Services.
- National Drug Early Warning System. (2020). Philadelphia 2020: Drug Use Patterns and Trends.
- Philadelphia’s Community Health Assessment. (2018). Health of the City.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of Drug addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition): Is drug addiction treatment worth the cost?
- Medicaid.gov. (2022) January 2022 Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment Data Highlights.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
- Quello, S. B., Brady, K. T., & Sonne, S. C. (2005). Mood Disorders and Substance Use Disorder: A Complex Comorbidity. Science & Practice Perspectives, 3(1), 13-21.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2017). Anxiety Disorders.
- Pietzrak, R. H., Goldstein, R. B., Southwick, S. M., & Grant, B. F. (2011). Prevalence and Axis I Comorbidity of Full and Partial Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the United States: Results on Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(3), 456-465.
- U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs. (2020). Treatment of Co-Occurring PTSD and Substance Use Disorder in VA. National Center for PTSD.
- Ma, M., Coles, A. S., & George, T. P. (2018). Understanding and Treating Co-Occurring Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Psychiatric Times, 35(9).
- National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center. (2019). Medicaid Bed Hold Policies by State. National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.
- U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). Chapter 6: Health Care Systems and Substance Use Disorders. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). Office of the Surgeon General (US). Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health.
- Gray, C., & Argaez, C. (2019). Residential Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.
