Serving proudly in the armed forces is something that stays with you forever and in many respects, that’s a wonderful thing. The idea of being part of something bigger than yourself or the random “thanks for your service” you may get and the pride you feel in those moments.
Those are endearingly positive takeaways.
On the contrary, there are other aspects of being in the military that are less savory. There’s the physical pain that lingers and there’s the mental suffering you carry with you, particularly if you saw combat in your deployment.
If left unchecked and untreated, these traumatic experiences can eventually turn into full-fledged substance use disorders.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes that “more than one in ten veterans have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder, slightly higher than the general population” and that an “estimated that between 37 and 50 percent of Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. These conditions are strongly associated with substance use disorders (SUDs)”.
As it relates to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) note the following:
- Almost 1 out of every 3 Veterans seeking treatment for SUD also has PTSD
- More than 2 of 10 Veterans with PTSD also have SUD
With substance use disorders and PTSD wreaking havoc on the minds and bodies of both current and past service members alike, is there a solution?
Yes, there is.
Fortunately, treatment can work wonders in helping you beat your addiction and deal with the underlying trauma that led you there to begin with.
As a veteran or active-duty service member, there are a number of insurers that are specifically available to you, among them being TRICARE and the question then turns into: does TRICARE cover drug rehab? (Spoiler alert: yes, it does cover rehab).
What Is TRICARE Insurance?
If you haven’t heard of TRICARE, let’s introduce it briefly.
It was formerly known by the rather cumbersome name Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services or CHAMPUS but has since rebranded.
As per their website, “TRICARE is the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families” and most plans through them meet the requirements for minimum essential coverage as set out by the Affordable Care Act.
What Does TRICARE Cover?
In terms of the specifics of what they may cover for substance use disorders, it looks like this:
- Inpatient services (emergency and non-emergency)
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Management of withdrawal symptoms (Detoxification)
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Mental health therapeutic services
- Office-based opioid treatment
- Opioid treatment programs
- Partial hospitalization programs
- Residential substance use disorder treatment
The only exceptions they explicitly state are aversion therapy and any unproven treatments.
Of course, coverage differs from plan to plan so what you’re entitled to depends on your specific plan.
If you’re among the many who’ve served or are currently active duty and are dealing with addiction, it’s imperative you get help with it because it’s not something that goes away on its own.
It builds and builds.
Eventually leading to this harrowing statistic; “suicide deaths among active-duty military and veterans exceed the rate for the general population. In 2014, veterans comprised more than 20 percent of national suicides, with an average of 20 veterans dying by suicide every day. In 2016, the suicide rate was 1.5 times greater for veterans than for non-veteran adults, after adjusting for age and gender”.
Reach Out to VRC Agua Dulce to Learn More About Addiction Recovery
At Valley Recovery Center at Agua Dulce, we’re honored to be a rehab center that takes TRICARE insurance and takes great pride in helping those who’ve served to get their lives back.
We can even help you determine exactly what you’re covered for.
