Substance Abuse in Florida

Cost is one of the most common barriers, often stopping people from getting the help they need. But with federal mandates like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and mental health parity laws, the overwhelming majority of Americans with health coverage have insurance that covers rehab.⁷

Even without insurance, there are options to help handle the cost of rehab. Some rehab facilities may offer different payment options, such as financing, “sliding scales” (which provide discounts for people with low incomes), or scholarship programs.

Government-funded rehab centers may also be able to provide free or low-cost rehab for eligible individuals, though these programs typically have strict criteria for acceptance and long waiting lists. Medicaid, which someone may enroll in year-round, is a government-funded assistance program that provides healthcare at a lower cost for low-income individuals.^{9, 10}

Insurance Coverage for Rehab in FL

Most people with insurance will have coverage for addiction treatment in Florida. However, the extent of this coverage varies between policies. It is important to visit an in-network facility when using insurance to pay for addiction treatment, as this usually results in lower out-of-pocket costs.¹¹

River Oaks accepts coverage from many common insurers, such as Humana, TRICARE, Cigna, Aetna, and more.

To see if your insurance carrier provides coverage at River Oaks, fill out our confidential . If you prefer to speak to a representative directly or want more detailed information on insurance coverage and what to expect from the treatment admissions process, please reach out to an admissions navigator at .

Check Your Insurance Coverage

You can see whether your insurer covers treatment at River Oaks within minutes by using the HIPAA-compliant online form below. You’ll need your:

• Email address.
• Name of your insurer.
• Insurance policy number.

Rural Florida Populations & Substance Abuse

Drugs are not only an issue within highly populated cities, they are also prevalent in rural areas as well. Additionally, people in rural locations often have trouble accessing the treatment they need.²²

According to the Florida Department of Health, there are 30 rural counties in the state of Florida (as of 2010), each with a population density of less than 100 residents per square mile.²³ Rural counties are often plagued with high unemployment, poverty rates, and low education levels. Environmental factors, like socioeconomic status and quality of life, contribute to someone’s propensity for addiction.²²

Rural counties are often considered Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) meaning that there are not enough medical and specialty providers in close enough proximity to residents, among other indicators like poverty level and access to care.²⁴ Rural Florida residents may have to travel out of the county they reside in to obtain services.

To complicate things further, residents in rural counties are often less likely to be insured as well, and residents may therefore be less likely to seek medical or mental health services.²⁵

Prescription Drug Abuse in Florida

The United States has struggled with prescription drug abuse in various forms for decades. The most recent epidemic predominantly involves prescription narcotic painkillers, which are chemically similar to heroin. Since the late 1990s, these drugs have been widely prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain, despite their addictive properties and high potential for abuse.²⁶ In Florida specifically, many patients developed opioid use disorders (OUD) due to the abundance of “pill mills” between 2003 and 2010, which profited by dispensing large amounts of prescription drugs without proper medical oversight.²⁷

Many people in Florida also struggle with addiction to other types of prescription substances, including benzodiazepines and stimulants. The practice of mixing opioids with benzodiazepines is especially dangerous. In 2019, benzodiazepines were present in 16% of opioid-involved overdoses across the United States.²⁸

Although Florida’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and strict laws against pill mills have helped slow the increase in prescription drug addiction, there are still many local people battling addiction.

• In 2018, 1,282 people in Florida died from a prescription opioid-involved overdose.¹⁸
• Both in 2018 and 2019, state medical examiners found more prescription drugs than illicit drugs in the bodies of deceased people.¹⁹
• In 2019, 4,317 Floridians died with at least one prescription drug in their system that was identified as the cause of death, a 17% increase from the previous year.¹⁹
• Benzodiazepines were involved in 4,209 of those deaths, with alprazolam (Xanax) being the most prevalent prescription drug found. It was involved in 1,523 overdose deaths in Florida in 2019.¹⁹

Addiction treatment can improve an individual’s overall quality of life and wellbeing. Fortunately, there are many options for Florida residents to find help for substance use disorders. If you are struggling with addiction and ready to start treatment, please reach out to a River Oaks admissions navigator at .