Substance abuse treatment is offered in a wide range of different treatment settings with a variety of different treatment approaches. For example, some substance abuse treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis, where the person will typically attend treatment during the day but is allowed to return home daily. Other substance abuse treatment requires the individual to stay in a hospital or residential facility during the entire course of treatment, which is particularly beneficial in resolving more severe cases of addiction. Inpatient and residential substance abuse treatment can be done on a short term or long term basis, depending on different circumstances which can be different for each person. Most substance abuse treatment will concentrate on getting the person physically rehabilitated, and then focus on the root psychological and emotional issues.

Drug treatment services which are provided on an outpatient basis are readily available to addicted people who have circumstances which prevent them from being able to participate in an inpatient treatment program. An outpatient substance abuse rehabilitation facility provides many of the same services as an inpatient program, but allows for flexibility as opposed to an inpatient drug treatment program where the individual is required to stay and reside at the rehab program until the treatment process is complete. Outpatient drug rehab is also available for those who have completed residential or inpatient treatment but also need a comprehensive aftercare and relapse prevention program which will provide further support and therapy to help them avoid relapse.

Self payment drug rehab programs are an excellent alternative to other types of treatment programs i.e. private medical insurance and state funded programs. Individuals who are capable of attending self payment programs pay for their entire treatment process out of pocket. Keep in mind though, this does not mean that they will not have access to financial assistance if needed. It just means that self payment is their primary method of covering the cost of their drug treatment program. In order to learn more about self payment at a specific program, make contact with a substance abuse treatment program and ask about their payment options. It is beneficial to contact several programs so that you have a comparison of your choices regarding rehab options and payment options.

Medicaid is a type of health insurance which is offered to people in certain low-income tax brackets. Eligibility for Medicaid is dependent on income and other circumstances including whether or not the person has dependents and if they receive any other assistance. Medicaid may possibly even cover the costs associated with drug or alcohol treatment, and there are many drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers throughout the country which are covered through Medicaid. Many drug and alcohol rehab facilities which are covered through Medicaid may only deliver a limited treatment curriculum and may only provide such treatment on a short term basis, typically 30 days or less. Individuals who have Medicaid should look for which programs cover the greatest amount of treatment for the most amount of time to acquire the full benefits of a Medicaid rehab program.

Paying for drug or alcohol rehab can be a problem, as all resources have been exhausted because of their addiction. Many drug rehab programs recognize this fact which is why many drug rehab programs around the country offer payment options known as a sliding scale fee. There are various factors put into the equation of determining what the fee will be from person to person, and these factors are based on individual circumstances such as income, cash on hand, living circumstances, the size of one's family etc. Sliding scale fees have been in use for some time as most drug treatment facilities would rather find a way to make it work financially so that those that need addiction help can acquire the help they need.