How to Find Drug and Alcohol Treatment With Your Aetna Insurance
How to Find Drug and Alcohol Treatment With Your Aetna Insurance
Learn how to find drug and alcohol treatment with my Aetna insurance. Explore covered services, plan types, and how Arrow Passage Recovery can help
Find Care and Healing at Arrow Passage Recovery Today
Alcohol and drug misuse isn’t just a personal struggle—it’s a global health crisis.
According to the World Health Organization, three million deaths annually are attributed to alcohol and drug use. If you’re working to get treatment and start the healing process for your symptoms, there’s good news—your insurance can help you recover.
Aetna offers a wide range of behavioral health benefits, including coverage for substance misuse. That said, sometimes it’s difficult to genuinely understand the ins and outs of your policy and benefits.
Struggling with addiction is hard enough—figuring out if your insurance has your back shouldn’t be. If you’re covered by Aetna, you may have more support than you realize.
How to Find Drug and Alcohol Treatment With My Aetna Insurance
At Arrow Passage Recovery we’ve helped many clients with Aetna coverage understand the care available to them.
We’re here to guide you through your Aetna insurance options, along with how to verify coverage.
What to Know About Aetna’s Drug & Alcohol Treatment Coverage
Aetna is a respected health insurance provider operating across the United States. This insurance provider offers comprehensive behavioral health benefits across many of its plans, such as:
- Medically supervised detox
- Inpatient residential treatment
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Outpatient therapy
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
What’s covered depends on your specific plan. This may be issued through your employer, the Health Insurance Marketplace, or another provider.
Arrow Passage Recovery Can Help You Navigate Your Aetna Insurance
When you contact Arrow Passage Recovery, our admissions team will help you make sense of your Aetna insurance. We’ll explain what types of treatment your plan includes.
We can also take the hassle out of dealing with insurance by helping you figure out if you need preauthorization and guiding you through any necessary paperwork. If Aetna needs documentation from your doctor, we’ll help you with that, too.
Instead of you spending hours on the phone with Aetna, we’ll handle those calls directly, making the process smoother and preventing unexpected issues down the road.
In-Network vs. Out-of-Network With Aetna
Aetna offers both HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans, and the type of plan you have can shape the answer to the question of how to find drug and alcohol treatment with my Aetna insurance.
In-Network
If Arrow Passage Recovery is in-network with your Aetna plan, you’ll typically pay less out-of-pocket, and the approval process tends to be smoother. In-network care means Aetna has already negotiated rates with us, so your co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums are more predictable.
This can ease financial stress and speed up the admissions process.
Out-of-Network
If we’re out-of-network, that doesn’t always mean you’re out of options. PPO plans often allow partial reimbursement for out-of-network care, especially when it’s considered medically necessary. You may still have to meet a separate deductible or pay a higher coinsurance rate, but coverage is often available.
HMO plans, on the other hand, are usually stricter—most require referrals and only cover in-network providers unless it’s an emergency.
If you’re not sure what kind of Aetna plan you have, our admissions team can explain whether yours is an HMO or PPO and help you figure out your best next steps. We’ll also walk you through any paperwork, benefit details, or pre-approvals required so that nothing gets missed.
Levels of Care Covered by Aetna Through Arrow Passage Recovery
Aetna typically covers a range of evidence-based treatment options, most of which we offer at Arrow Passage Recovery.
Our levels of care include:
Medical Detox
A supervised environment where patients can safely withdraw from substances with 24/7 monitoring. Aetna usually requires preauthorization and medical necessity for detox to be covered. Detox is typically the first step before entering a structured treatment program.
Our clinical team can work with your provider to submit the necessary documentation for approval quickly.
Inpatient Residential Treatment
This around-the-clock care offers structure, safety, and a focused recovery environment. Aetna often covers residential care when outpatient programs haven’t been effective or when the patient needs a higher level of support.
Our staff will help coordinate with Aetna to make sure your care plan aligns with their criteria and your clinical needs.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
A PHP provides a full day of structured therapy and psychiatric support without the need for overnight stays. Aetna may cover a PHP as a step-down from inpatient care or as a starting point for those who don’t require detox.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
An IOP is a day or evening program that allows clients to attend therapy several times a week while continuing work or home life. Aetna typically requires documentation of medical necessity for IOP coverage.
Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient therapy provides individual or group counseling sessions that are focused on relapse prevention and long-term recovery goals.
Aetna often covers these services under behavioral health benefits.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Aetna supports the use of MAT for alcohol and opioid misuse. This may include medications like buprenorphine, naltrexone, or Vivitrol, in combination with therapy.
How to Find Drug and Alcohol Treatment With My Aetna Insurance in Ohio
Ohio has various laws requiring that health plans offer parity between both mental health/substance misuse care and physical health treatment. That means Aetna plans must cover behavioral health services fairly, without stricter limits or caps than they’d use for other medical conditions.
In addition to Aetna’s network rules, keep in mind:
- Some plans issued through Ohio employers may have enhanced behavioral health support, including employee assistance programs (EAPs) that cover short-term counseling or referrals.
- Medicaid recipients with Aetna Better Health plans may have different pathways to access care, often requiring coordination through managed care programs.
- Coverage may also include telehealth services, crisis support, or community-based programs that are specific to the state.
Arrow’s team can help you check for additional state-level support programs that might reduce out-of-pocket costs or supplement your Aetna plan. We’re here to make sure you don’t miss out on any resources you may qualify for.
How to Enroll in Aetna for Addiction Treatment
If you don’t currently have Aetna coverage but are considering enrolling, here are a few ways to get started:
- Apply during open enrollment (typically November through January via Healthcare.gov)
- Check if you qualify for a special enrollment period – this applies if you’ve recently had a qualifying life event like losing other coverage, moving, or changing jobs
- Explore Aetna plans directly at aetna.com to compare options that include behavioral health and substance misuse treatment coverage
Once enrolled, coverage usually begins shortly after your effective date. Many Aetna plans include mental health and addiction treatment benefits, and depending on your plan type, you may not need a referral to begin care.
FAQs About Using Aetna for Substance Misuse Treatment
Some commonly asked questions we’ve come across for how to find drug and alcohol treatment with my Aetna insurance include:
Aetna doesn’t set a fixed number of days for everyone. Instead, they assess how long treatment is medically necessary based on clinical evaluations and progress. This means your length of stay could be adjusted depending on how you’re doing.
Our team works closely with Aetna reviewers to ensure your stay is supported as long as it’s clinically needed.
Yes, Aetna often covers what’s called co-occurring disorder treatment. If you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or trauma alongside substance use, it’s usually covered under the same behavioral health umbrella.
Arrow Passage Recovery offers dual diagnosis care, and we can help coordinate benefits to ensure both conditions are addressed together.
Not always. If your symptoms are severe or there are withdrawal complications, Aetna may authorize inpatient care. This could be without requiring prior outpatient attempts. That decision depends on a clinical review, which we can help facilitate quickly.
In many cases, safety and stabilization needs justify immediate higher levels of care.
Most Aetna plans do include coverage for MAT options like buprenorphine or naltrexone, but coverage can vary by state and plan type. Some medications require prior authorization.
Our medical team will walk you through what’s available and submit any necessary documentation directly to Aetna.
Yes, continuity of care is a big part of long-term recovery. Aetna typically covers follow-up outpatient therapy. We help build your aftercare plan and connect you with providers in-network with your plan. If you already have a therapist, we’ll help coordinate your discharge with them.
Take the First Step With Arrow Passage Recovery
Navigating the world of insurance and drug and alcohol treatment can be overwhelming—but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Whether you’re already covered by Aetna or just exploring your options, Arrow Passage Recovery can provide support.
Call us today at 866-888-5074 to speak with an admissions coordinator who understands Aetna plans. Alternatively, complete our confidential insurance verification form for further assistance.
We can’t wait to help you thrive.
