Drug & Alcohol Rehab Covered by BCBS FEP

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) Federal Employee Program (FEP) provides health insurance coverage to federal employees and retirees, as well as their families. As a BCBS FEP member, your insurance plan may provide full or partial coverage for various types of addiction treatment, including inpatient and outpatient rehab, and aftercare services.¹

Does BCBS FEP Cover Drug & Alcohol Treatment?

Yes, BCBS FEP covers drug and alcohol treatment to some extent.¹ BCBS FEP provides health insurance to federal employees, retirees, and their families.² Each plan covers professional addiction and mental health services.¹ You can also access free resources on their website to support your mental health.¹

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) protects your access to quality care.³ Under this law, marketplace health insurance plans must provide at least some coverage for essential health benefits, including mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services.⁴ Still, your level of BCBS FEP coverage for addiction treatment can vary depending on your specific plan.

Which Types of Addiction Treatment Does BCBS FEP Cover?

Recovery looks different for everyone.⁵ That’s why multiple levels of care are available to meet your unique needs.⁵ Here are some common types of addiction treatment a rehab covered by BCBS FEP may offer:

• Medical detox: While not always necessary, this is sometimes the first step in recovery from addiction. Medical detox can help mitigate withdrawal symptoms from substances, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines, as comfortably and safely as possible under medical supervision before transitioning to another level of care.⁶
• Inpatient addiction treatment: Patients live at a facility, which may be a home- or hospital-like setting, and receive highly structured and supervised care with evidence-based therapeutic interventions.⁵
• Outpatient drug and alcohol rehab programs: Standard outpatient rehab is a less intensive level of care than inpatient rehab programs and allows patients to live at home and travel to a facility to participate in similar interventions.⁵
• Intensive outpatient programs for drug and alcohol addiction: A step up from traditional outpatient rehab, these programs offer a minimum of 9 hours of weekly treatment.⁷
• Partial hospitalization programs for addiction: As the most in-depth level of outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) provide around 6 hours of daily, highly structured care.⁸
• Aftercare: Mental health experts recommend remaining in addiction aftercare, such as ongoing counseling, sober living homes, and 12-step programs, to promote long-term recovery.⁵

How To Use BCBS FEP For Addiction Treatment & Rehab

The first step in using health insurance to pay for rehab is understanding your coverage. You can verify your BCBS FEP coverage for rehab by logging in to your online patient portal.⁹ Additionally, you can contact BCBS FEP Member Services by calling the number on the back of your insurance card.⁹ BCBS FEP also provides the ‘fepblue’ mobile app so you can quickly view your coverage information on your phone.⁹

Once you understand your benefits and the best level of care for you, search for in-network providers to find an appropriate treatment center.

BCBS FEP Coverage for Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment

A rehab covered by BCBS FEP will typically cover co-occurring disorder treatment to some degree.1 Co-occurring disorders, or dual diagnoses, happen when someone struggles with addiction and mental health conditions simultaneously.⁵ Addiction specialists recommend treating both illnesses in tandem to promote long-term recovery.⁵ Since dual diagnosis encompasses mental health and addiction, you could receive partial or full BCBS FEP coverage for treatment.¹