Aetna Florida: Addiction Rehabs in FL that Take Aetna Insurance

Since 1853, Aetna has been in the insurance industry.⁶ Though their first offering was a life insurance plan, 46 years later, they offered their first health insurance policy.⁶ Now, 169 years since its beginning, Aetna is one of the most well-known health insurance providers across the country. Thirty-nine million people nationwide rely on Aetna for their health insurance plans.⁷ What’s more, 4 years ago, in 2018, CVS completed its acquisition of Aetna, and now the two companies work together to provide community-based care across the nation.⁶

There are many different types of Aetna health plans that may be available to you, particularly if you live in or are hoping to attend treatment in Florida. This is because Aetna as a company provides a wide variety of health plans and services, including health plan options in every market. Specifically, Aetna provides: medical, pharmacy, and dental plans, Medicaid plans and services, Medicare plans, medical management plans, and behavioral health programs.⁷

In the United States, almost all health plans, including those offered by Aetna Florida, are required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to cover 10 certain health services, which are referred to as essential health benefits.⁸ One of the 10 essential health benefits (EHBs) that must be covered in some capacity by most health plans is mental and behavioral health services.⁹ Specifically, medically-necessary inpatient mental and behavioral health services, behavioral health services, and treatment for SUDs (e.g., drug treatment in Florida), must be covered in some capacity under your Florida Aetna plan.

Despite this mandate, it’s important to note that the extent of your coverage will depend entirely upon the plan you have selected. For example, your plan may only cover some or all of the costs associated with rehab treatment at certain facilities. It’s important to reach out to your Aetna provider before committing to treatment to determine the costs and coverage.

Addiction can be cause by the sustained use of a variety of substances, ranging from alcohol to drugs like opioids or stimulants. As stated, the ACA mandates that Aetna health plans provide some degree of coverage for the medically-necessary treatment of addiction and substance use disorders. It’s a good idea to contact your insurance provide to determine what types of addiction Aetna covers.

What Alcohol and Drug Rehab Programs Does Aetna Florida Cover?

The types of rehab programs that your Aetna Florida insurance plan will cover will vary based on the plan you’ve selected, as well as where you receive care. Every plan is different, which means it’s important for you to verify your benefits and coverage, when possible, to avoid surprise costs. Depending on your plan, the following rehab programs may be covered in some capacity by your Aetna Florida plan:^10-12

• Medical detox: Under the supervision of medical professionals, which is done to manage potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, medical detox is done to rid the body of substances (e.g., alcohol and/or drugs).¹⁰
• Inpatient programs: This type of program, which is comprised of a patient staying in a facility overnight for a set amount of time (i.e., days, weeks, or months), may be recommended for those who need structure or round-the-clock medical supervision.
• Outpatient programs: This type of program generally involves one or two visits per week to a facility where a patient can receive a variety of services, but no overnight stay is required.¹¹
• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs): In an IOP, a patient usually receives a minimum number of hours of treatment every week at a facility, but can go home after treatment (e.g., no overnight stay).
• Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs): Also known as a day program, PHPs involve patients spending their days at a facility, usually between 4–8 hours a day, for a few days a week.¹¹
• Aftercare: An aftercare program refers to any type of ongoing, continuing, or follow-up care for a patient that completes rehab.

Dual diagnosis treatment may be covered by your Aetna health plan if it is considered medically-necessary treatment.⁹ A dual diagnosis treatment refers to treating a patient who has a diagnosis of two or more co-occurring disorders.¹² And, a co-occurring disorder refers to a patient that has both substance use and mental health disorder simultaneously.¹²

Co-occurring disorders are common, and researchers believe that 50% of those with a mental health condition or substance use disorder will experience the other at some point in their life.¹² A dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder treatment typically involves treating each condition at the same time, as each condition could exacerbate the other (e.g., substance use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, etc.).¹²

1. Florida State Parks. (n.d.). Beaches and coasts at Florida state parks.
2. Forbes. (2019). US travel: 25 best places to visit in 2020.
3. United States Census Bureau. (2021). Quick facts, Florida.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Behavioral health barometer Florida, volume 6.
5. National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. (n.d.). Opioid epidemic: addiction statistics.
6. Aetna. (n.d.). Our history.
7. Aetna. (n.d.). Aetna facts.
8. Heatlhcare.gov. (n.d.). Essential health benefits.
9. Healthcare.gov. (n.d.). Mental health & substance abuse coverage.
10. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). TIP 45: Detoxification and substance abuse treatment.
11. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). What is substance abuse treatment?
12. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Mental health and substance use disorders.