Many drug and alcohol treatment facilities in Orange County do not take insurance for varying reasons. In fact, many drug and alcohol treatment facilities in America do not take insurance. Why? Simply put, the amount of time and the amount of hoops a treatment facility’s personnel must jump through to get money from insurance companies is just not worth it. Insurance companies have made it so difficult for drug and alcohol treatment facilities, that those addiction treatment facilities that do take insurance are often bogged down by paperwork and administrative duties. The endless paperwork, administrative nightmares, and needless requirements insurance companies impose on drug and alcohol treatment facilities who would like to take insurance simply are not worth it and actually takes away from the quality of care a treatment facility is able to provide in my opinion. I have worked at drug treatment facilities that do take insurance and addiction treatment facilities that do not take insurance, and I have witnessed the difference in the quality of care each one is able to provide. The treatment facility that took insurance was constantly worried about codes, regulations, and paperwork, whereas the treatment facility that did not take insurance was much more focused on client care. The amount of regulatory paperwork at the insurance treatment facility became so ridiculous that when I added the amount of time I was spending with clients compared to the amount of time I was spending doing paperwork, the amount of paperwork I was doing surpassed the amount of time I spent working with clients! I found the same thing happens at State run facilities. So unfortunately many of the premier drug and alcohol treatment facilities in the Nation do not take insurance because insurance companies have made it too difficult to treat the clients they pay for.
