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Does Insurance Cover Suboxone?

Does Insurance Cover Suboxone?

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When you or someone you love is contemplating treatment for addiction, a million and one things will go through your head. How will we ever get over this? How to manage the pain and sickness? How are we going to pay for this? If you're contemplating taking suboxone to overcome opioid addiction, then you might wonder whether insurance covers it. Here is where the costs of suboxone are explained for those interested, whether your insurance might cover all or part of the cost, and what else you can do if you're interested in Suboxone treatment.

Is Suboxone Covered By Insurance?

If you, or your loved one have an insurance policy, then check it, as there should be some coverage for addiction treatment. The more expensive your policy, the more will be covered. If you have a lower cost insurance policy, there may be some co-pay, where you will have to pay for a portion of it from your own pocket. One way or another, you should have some of the costs of Suboxone covered as a form of treatment.

Your insurance company will likely have a list of registered pharmacies where you can go to fill the Suboxone prescription, so check that carefully before you waste time going into any pharmacy. Not all pharmacies are licensed to dispense the drug.

If you don't have your policy on hand right now, here are some of the big insurance companies that do include cover for Suboxone treatment:

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
  • UMR
  • Aetna
  • Beacon
  • Cigna
  • Multi Plan
  • United Health Care

If you don't see your insurance company on the list above, don't worry, it is not exhaustive. There are other companies that provide the cover required, simply check your policy or give your company a call to find out.

Why Would I Need Insurance For Suboxone?

On it's own, Suboxone isn't cheap. You will still need a prescription from a doctor, but you can buy the sub-lingual films from a pharmacist for cash. For Suboxone sublingual film (2 mg-0.5 mg) the price is roughly $158 for a supply of 30 film, depending on which pharmacy you go to. However, it is not likely to be much less. Don't try and buy Suboxone on the black market, as you don't know what you're getting.

If you'd like to check into a detox or rehab facility where Suboxone is used, there are some residential treatment facilities where it is part of the treatment that can charge around $8,000 per month. If this isn't an option for you, then there's no need to worry because there are other alternatives.

One of the good things about Suboxone is that you don't need constant surveillance to take it. Due to the fact that it's nearly impossible to get high from it, users can be trusted to take it responsibly. In this sense, it can be a cheaper way to pursue a life without addiction, especially if your insurance covers the cost of the medicine.

Why Should You Choose Suboxone?

If you are addicted to injecting opioids, then Suboxone can help you break that habit. Firstly, it will take away your cravings and you won't have to mess about with needles and doses anymore.

Your dosage is prepared and you take it in a daily dose or one every two days. Even if you take more, you won't get the same effects as you did with heroin, so there's little point in trying. Your habit with the needle goes away and you can return to some normal form of life, without having to spend every day chasing a high, or trying to get enough heroin so that you won't get sick.

If you've been addicted to prescription opioids, Suboxone means that you can come off the drugs you've been abusing and not have to endure a debilitating withdrawal. You can get back to a normal routine, without thinking about taking drugs. It's important that when you take Suboxone you realize this is only treating the physical side of the illness and you must figure out what lies beneath. Addiction is a psychological condition that can be very complex, and you may have some stuff to work through in order to really get better. Insurance packages now cover addiction as a chronic illness, so you will get some cover for medication, such as Suboxone, under your plan.

What's Different About Suboxone?

Suboxone is a medicine that has been specifically developed to treat opioid addiction. It is made with a combination of two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone was approved for treatment of opioid addiction by the FDA in 2002. People who have tried other forms of treatment for their addiction often have more success with Suboxone, so it has been seen as somewhat of a wonder drug.

Some people argue that it's not real recovery when you are still taking an opioid to replace another opioid. It's true that when treating opioid addiction with another opioid, there is the potential for dependency. This has been seen with some people buying methadone on the black market.

However, when you have been abusing opioids for some length of time, the drugs have affected the receptors in your brain, so giving them up does not simply make you go back to normal. In fact, you will get very sick, which people who have tried to go cold turkey have quickly realized!

Suboxone is different to methadone, because it has a ceiling effect, thus users won't get high from it, no matter how much they take. The naloxone is an opioid antagonist that can reverse the effects of narcotics such as heroin and methadone.

This also means that the user cannot feel the euphoric effects of Suboxone, even if they try to use it in a way that's against doctor recommendations. Naloxone can cause a person to go into severe withdrawal if they abuse opioids. This helps prevent misuse of Suboxone.

Unlike methadone, which is frequently used in the treatment of opioid addiction, Suboxone is prescribed in a sublingual or tablet form and doctors can provide patients with a take-home dose of 30 days. It works on the nervous system to reduce cravings and users will not go into withdrawal as long as they adhere to their doctor's instructions.

Suboxone Offers Hope

Coming to terms with the fact that you or a loved one suffers from opioid addiction can be overwhelming. With deaths from overdoses at an all time high, it's vital to get someone in addiction into some sort of treatment, even if they have tried before.

You need to consider what treatment options might suit and the cost. If you have insurance, it will certainly cover some of the cost and it can be more successful than other ways that have been tried before. It's a long, hard road, and it can often seem like there's no good news. Suboxone offers people some hope, even if other treatment methods have failed.

If you have a loved one who has been suffering with opioid addiction, you can find out more about its benefits here. Your help and support while your friend or family member is trying to recover can be invaluable.

Suboxone is only Half of the Fight

Suboxone is only Half of the Fight

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Many people in active addiction make the mistake of thinking that they can recover from their addiction by simply taking Suboxone, but that isn’t the case. Taking Suboxone can help with the physical addiction that they have to the drug, but there is so much more that must be addressed in order for someone to achieve sobriety for the long run. The following guide walks you through the some other aspects of recovery that have to be addressed during someone’s journey to sobriety.

Have Peace of Mind During Suboxone Treatment

Detoxing can be a very scary experience for someone with an addiction. The body goes through significant changes in a very short period of time. Even though Suboxone can help minimize the physical withdrawal symptoms that you experience, you may still experience some effects. Suboxone must be taken properly. When you initially start taking Suboxone, it’s a good idea to go to a treatment facility to ensure that you can be monitored throughout the treatment process.

Since detoxing can be physically taxing, being monitored by medical professionals allows you to have peace of mind. You can know that your health is being properly monitored so that you can fully focus on your recovery. Believe it or not, having peace of mind can make the recovery process easier.

Understanding the Root of Your Addiction

In order for someone to recover from addiction, they need to know why they started using drugs and what their triggers are. There are many different reasons why people use drugs. Some people never knew they could become addicted and began using drugs after an accident or injury. Taking prescription pain medications often leads to addiction because people take the drug more often than prescribed or take more of it than they are supposed to take, and end up becoming addicted to it.

Other people become addicted to drugs because they use it to numb emotional or psychological issues. When you are in recovery, you’ll narrow down your drug triggers and the source of your addiction. This allows you to know what issues you need to avoid in the future to better your chances of being able to stay sober once you have completed treatment.

Learn How to Handle an Emotional Addiction to Drugs

Its common for people to use drugs to numb themselves emotionally. In order to stay sober once they recover from addiction. You will learn how to handle your emotions properly. Going to counseling while you are on Suboxone provides you with the opportunity to have the emotional addiction treated properly.

A psychologist can provide you with advice on how to handle emotional issues you may be facing in a constructive way. They can help establish a plan for how you can overcome guilt, anger, or even depression in a healthy way. Counseling may be enough for you to handle your emotions well, but there are times when treatment through medications is also needed. A psychologist can prescribe you medications to help regulate your emotions. They can monitor how the medications help you and narrow down the different options that are available to you. It often takes trial and error to find the right medications for an individual.

Mental Addiction to Drugs Needs to be Mastered

There are some people who use drugs to self-medicate through a trauma or mental issue. Some people know that they have a mental condition and will seek medication to deal with it. Some people are unaware of their mental issues or disorder. Using medications to treat anxiety, schizophrenia, OCD, and other mental disorders is common. When you use Suboxone to stop using drugs, you need to seek professional help so you can be properly diagnosed for any medical condition you have. Being properly treated and medicated for any ongoing condition helps improves your chances of staying sober and drug-free down the road. Even though it feels as though you may have a strong grasp of your emotional or mental condition when you stop using drugs, that doesn’t mean you’ll maintain control when craziness arises in life.

Monitor Your Health Regularly

It’s important to have a doctor monitor your health after you use Suboxone and are recovering from your addiction. Health issues that may not have been noticeable before may become apparent. There are also physical repercussions that come with using drugs for an extended period of time. The sooner physical issues are discovered, the better your chances of being able to have the issues treated, and avoid relapsing and self-medicating.

Talk About Your Experience and Temptations

Once you are addicted to drugs you are always susceptible to addiction. Many people think once they use Suboxone to stop using drugs they never have to worry about using drugs again. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. You will be tempted to use again. To deal with those temptations to use again, joining an addiction recovery group makes sobriety easier. You can discuss issues that arise in your life, get advice from others who have recovered from addiction, and be held accountable to help increase your odds of staying drug-free and sober.

Be sure to be open and honest about what you are going through. It can be tempting to close down and not share what you have been through because you fear being judged. Everyone in the group has been addicted to something throughout their life. They aren’t going to judge you for the things that you did in your past or the struggles that you are currently going through. To get the most help you can, you have to be willing to open up and be honest with people in the group.

Suboxone can serve as a crucial element when it comes to achieving sobriety but using it in conjunction with other treatment options is key. You need to heal your mind and body to stay sober for the long run. Take the time to find a treatment facility that offers the care that suits your needs and makes you feel comfortable. You need to trust and feel safe with the people who are helping you.

Suboxone is the Gold Standard in Fighting Opioid Addiction

Suboxone is the Gold Standard in Fighting Opioid Addiction

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The Citizen Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) International reported Suboxone generated more sales than Viagra last year. That's because Supoxone is the gold standard in treating opioid addiction. It's considered a medication blockbuster because it works so well in helping treat opioid addiction. It is understood by the medical community Suboxone's effectiveness comes at a price. Suboxone can also be addictive and sometimes there is required treatment for Suboxone abuse. The price is worth the benefits it brings to those in recovery.

Opioid Worldwide Epidemic

The World Health Organization reports there are an estimated 15 million people addicted to opioids. Suboxone is a formula that combines Buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone is used for other things but its main purpose is to help effectively treat opioid addiction. Buprenorphine makes up half of Suboxone. Buprenorphine gives a partial opioid effect that tricks the brain's opioid receptors into thinking they are full. Buprenorphine does this in the brain without producing the same high as full opioids.

The chief advantage of using Buprenorphine is it is more difficult to take with the intent of abusing it or getting a 'real' high from it. Methadone has caused many issues for those with addiction and abuse is common when it is prescribed to help those with an opioid addiction.

Suboxone has become a white light and gold standard in treating opioid addiction. This is mainly because you don't have to go to an addiction clinic to obtain Suboxone. It is available by prescription. Your doctor can write the prescription for you in his or her office. Suboxone is an attempt to increase the numbers of people seeking treatment. Currently, only 10 percent of those with opioid addictions are getting treatment for the addiction.

Suboxone and the U.S. and Drug Administration

The U.S. and Drug Administration believes in Suboxone so much they have approved the first generic version of Suboxone. The generic Suboxone is a sublingual film you place under your tongue. The generic Suboxone is used for the treatment of opioid dependence, as well. The FDA is taking a step towards providing the generic Suboxone, so it is available and accessible to everyone in recovery.

A plethora of research studies have been done over the past few years, and suboxone consistently tests well as a replacement program with better adherence to the treatment protocol used by those in addiction.

The benefits of Suboxone are:

  • Accessible and affordable
  • Statistics show less abuse by those in recovery
  • High success rate in the treatment of opiate dependence

It's hard to argue against studies and research backed by data and statistics from renowned universities.

Arguments Against Suboxone

There are those who argue against using suboxone in fighting opioid addiction. Their argument is it takes a while for the body to recover from using Suboxone. The long recovery time from using Suboxone goes back to the Buprenorphine as one of the components in its makeup. Remember, Buprenorphine tricks the brain's opioid receptors to feel full. Those against Suboxone usage as an opioid recovery drug state the drug is a partial opioid reward system. That the reward system is the way the drug wards off the cravings and usage of full opioids.

The Naloxone in the medication Suboxone is the second half of the drug. Naloxone blocks the receptors in your brain that respond to opioids. It will even go the extra distance and try to reach in and flush out any remaining opioid use receptors. It's called the reverse opioid effect medication for a reason.

One should never take Naloxone by itself. Naloxone causes severe withdrawal symptoms. If you are in the early stage of opioid withdrawal and you try to withdrawal from Nalonoxe too, it will almost be too much for your body to process and withstand. When you combine Buprenorphine with Naloxone, you almost have a superhero drug. This superhero drug is capable of fighting the most powerful of enemies – opioid addiction.

Suboxone the Superhero Drug

When someone is going through opioid withdrawal, it is intensely difficult. Opioid withdrawal will have the following symptoms:

  • Muscle pain and cramps
  • Diarrhea, vomiting and gagging sensations
  • Sweating and restlessness
  • Twitching
  • Watery eyes
  • Insomnia
  • Abdominal cramping and pain
  • Fast heart rate, and more

If you don't have a drug that can combat back against all those symptoms of withdrawal, you can lose someone in recovery back to their drug of choice due to the pain and agony they are going through. Suboxone is considered a superhero because it lets those in opioid addiction go through their withdrawal with minimum effect on the mental health and lessens reactions physically. There is no greater combination you can offer someone in addiction who is serious about their recovery.

Suboxone Provides Better Outcomes for Opioid Addiction

Suboxone is one of the best answers we have right now in fighting against the opioid addiction that penetrates every level of society. If you have to choose between two negatives – one being opioid addiction and the other being suboxone addiction – suboxone is the lesser of the two.

Suboxone is the better outcome for those in addiction. You can struggle through and get through opioid addiction without suboxone. But, it is so difficult, and you lose so many people back to opioids because it's such a painful recovery process.

What is the Answer to Opioid Addiction?

When you can help someone kick their habit with at least some diminished pain and craving, isn't it worth it? There are no easy answers to any addiction, and opioid addiction is one of the toughest addictions ever fought. It's not good to blame Suboxone for what it doesn't do instead of looking at the medical research and studies on what it does for opioid addiction.

Society is lucky that suboxone treats opioid addiction and can help reduce pain and cravings as people withdrawal from opioids. There is no way of knowing where society would be without suboxone right now because addiction is the problem. Suboxone is just one way to help treat addiction. Opioid addiction requires a whole army of other resources, people, places, and things. But at least we have one of the steps laid on the path towards recovery. Suboxone is the first brick on the path. It is a good place to start.

How Going to Meetings Helps you in Recovery

How Going to Meetings Helps you in Recovery

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Addiction can be a difficult battle that involves not just the addict, but also friends, coworkers, and family members. When someone is dealing with substance abuse, they likely feel alone, disconnected, and helpless. Thankfully, with a good treatment program, addiction can be beaten. One of the key elements to a quality rehabilitation process is group therapy or meetings. So, how can going to meetings help you in recovery? Read on to learn more about this integral part of recovery and sobriety.

What Happens in Meetings?

While every program is different, most group meetings are scheduled by the patient’s specific recovery plan. These meetings usually involve one or two therapists or group leaders along with other addicts. Meetings can occur weekly, monthly, or less frequently depending on a variety of factors. During the meeting, all patients are encouraged to participate and talk about their struggles, their current status, and their feelings. The mediator or therapist is there to help guide the group and to ask important questions. It’s a good way for addicts to vent their concerns and frustrations without feelings of judgment.

You are Not Alone Throughout Recovery

When you’re dealing with addiction, the feelings of isolation can be overwhelming. Meetings can help you feel much less alone since you’re surrounded by others who are struggling with similar situations. Often addicts won’t reach out to people they know for fear of being judged or turned away. With group meetings, you'll hear other peoples’ stories and soon you’ll discover that you are not alone. This fact can do wonders for the psychological state of an addict. In any situation, feeling alone tends to make the problem worse. With meetings, you’re allowed to connect with others who understand the struggles you are going through.

You’ll Learn New Coping Skills

Of course, meetings are a great way to connect with others, but it goes much deeper than that. The recovery meetings will teach you new tools and how to cope with a variety of situations that can arise in daily life. Some people in your meetings are likely much more experienced and will be happy to share some advice about the way they handle things. Getting good advice from those who have already been in your shoes can give you the confidence and the information you need to recover more effectively. You may also hear some stories from former addicts who want to help you in the meeting. These people are an incredible source of inspiration and will encourage you to continue down the road to recovery so you can lead a more fulfilling life.

The Odds of Relapsing are Lower

Attending addiction meetings helps hold you accountable for your actions. Once you’ve met your fellow group members, you will probably feel a sense of responsibility to them and to yourself not to go into relapse. And, if you do relapse, you’ll at least have the understanding that the group is still there waiting for you. This can be highly effective at reducing the odds of relapsing altogether. When you’re held accountable by others, you may feel much more apt to try harder to stay sober. Since addiction is a chronic disease, these meetings provide you with an ongoing tool you can use whenever you need it.

You will Experience Compassion

While the behavior of some addicts can be appalling, compassion is still required for a successful recovery. In your meetings, you’ll be able to spend time with those who understand your struggle and can offer you a helpful shoulder to lean on. Just by having some level of empathy and compassion in your life, you will feel much more support during difficult times. Being able to garner some emotional support can do wonders for your self-esteem, and it may motivate you to try harder. You will also be given the chance to show compassion toward others, which can make you feel stronger. Meetings offer a place where you can experience a non-judgmental environment which prompts you to open up more about your problems without fear.

You’ll Make New Friends

Friendship is especially meaningful when you’re coping with addiction. This is particularly true with younger addicts like teens and young adults. Attending regular meetings can help you meet new people who are not only going through similar situations, but who could probably use a friend, too. Over time these friendships get stronger and you can spend time together in a sober environment. Depending on the format of the meetings, you might also have a “sponsor.” This person is your go-to and your confidant when times get tough. Addicts develop strong bonds with their sponsor since they are people they know they can trust.

Whether you’ve been assigned a meeting through your rehab program or you’re just looking for help on your own, meetings provide a range of benefits that will help you down the road to recovery. Simply knowing that you are not alone is a big relief for many. Combine that with helpful therapy and learning new coping skills, and you can begin your journey to sobriety. Meetings are offered free of charge in many locations, so don’t be afraid to find one near you and reach out for help. With some compassion and understanding, attending meetings on a regular basis can be part of the tools that will get you back on the path toward recovery.

One of the first steps toward recovery is recognizing that you need help. By going to meetings you’re already taking great strides toward handling the problem. Help from other addicts and your meeting leader can give you the strength and encouragement you need to get better. Try to attend meetings as often as possible so you can create a new support system that will provide you with empathy, understanding, and new skills to be successful. The right tools for addicts can mean the difference between continuing the addiction and moving forward to a better, more productive life.