If you or someone close to you is struggling with alcoholism, it can be difficult to find time off to get the treatment you need, let alone to afford the cost of care as well as the loss of potential income associated with that care. This leads many people to ask: Does short-term disability cover alcohol rehab?
What is Short-Term Disability?
A short-term disability is a type of illness or accident that happens outside of work, something that isn’t covered by workers’ compensation but means that you cannot do your job for a specific length of time.
When you start a new job, one of the benefits you might be provided is short-term disability insurance.
Short-term disability is a form of insurance where you receive a percentage of your pre-disability salary, distributed weekly for the time that you are unable to work.
This is not a form of insurance mandated by federal law, but certain states require it, including California and New York. If you live in a state that does not require it on a state level, your company could still provide it as an added benefit.
The specifications for the benefits you get with short-term disability will vary based on your insurance plan and provider, with limitations for things like:
- Which conditions are covered
- How long you have coverage
- What percentage of your pre-disability income you receive
So, does short-term disability cover alcohol rehab?
Disability Claims and Other Options
Drug and alcohol addiction falls under medical conditions according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In many cases, short-term disability policies will provide coverage if you go to an inpatient rehab center for alcohol treatment.
However, there are often contingencies depending on the insurance provider you have, such as the following:
- Your doctor will need to confirm that you have a qualifying disability, which, in this case, would be alcohol addiction, and provide a recommendation for inpatient treatment
- The rehab program needs to offer evidence that they have legitimately structured treatment with qualifying medical supervision
It is important to note that you will have to notify your employer and get their signatures on many of the forms that are required for a disability claim under your short-term disability insurance. You will need to provide your insurance with information about the treatment center where you receive your care.
Each insurance provider will confirm or deny your eligibility based on the terms of your short-term disability policy, and this can take several weeks.
Notes: If you have any paid time off or sick leave, some employers might require that you use that before you can apply for short-term disability benefits, but this is based on company policy and state law. In some cases, if you have to use your paid sick leave first, then you could qualify for full pay during the time that you use your short-term disability benefits rather than a reduced percentage like 50%.
Getting Help for Alcohol Abuse
At Sequoia Recovery Centers, we have dedicated teams to help work with your insurance provider, and we can communicate with an employer where necessary or a doctor based on the type of coverage you have and how your insurance provider goes about approving claims for short-term disabilities.
Alcohol rehab from Sequoia Recovery Centers can provide comprehensive care, starting with detox. At our treatment center, we help manage the dangerous side effects associated with alcohol withdrawal in order to help maintain lasting recovery.
Following the detox process, we can help you transition directly into the most appropriate level of care, ranging from comprehensive inpatient care to more flexible intensive outpatient programs. We ensure that all of our clients have the resources they need to learn how to manage addiction.
Alcohol addiction is a chronic condition, and that means clients need tools and tips for lifelong recovery, with individual and group therapies as a cornerstone for treatment, as well as customized opportunities for different levels of care.
If you have questions like, “Does short-term disability cover alcohol rehab?” don’t hesitate to call our staff, who can talk to you about the laws in your area and the company policies that you might consider when answering these questions.
Reach out to our team today at 1-866-824-0709 to learn more about our alcohol rehab programs.