Does Medicare cover drug and alcohol rehabilitation?
A. Coverage is available for both diagnostic and therapeutic services furnished for the treatment of drug abuse and alcoholism. Hospitals may provide structured inpatient alcohol rehabilitation programs to the chronic alcoholic. These programs are composed primarily of coordinated educational and psychotherapeutic services provided on a group basis. Depending on the subject matter, a series of lectures, discussions, films, and group therapy sessions are led by either physicians, psychologists, or alcoholism counselors from the hospital or various outside organizations. In addition, individual psychotherapy and family counseling (CMS Pub. 100-3, 130.2) may be provided in selected cases. These programs are conducted under the supervision and direction of a physician.
