F Drug Information

Sleep

Think of everything people do during the day. Try to guess which activity is so important that people should devote one-third of every day doing it. The first things that come to mind are probably: working, spending time with family or pursuing leisure activities. However, there is something else people should be doing about one-third of the time--sleeping.
Many people view sleep as merely a "down time" when the brain shuts off and the body rests. In a rush to meet work, school, family or household responsibilities, people cut back on sleep, thinking it will not be a problem, because all of these other activities seem much more important. However, research reveals that a number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help to maintain good health and enable people to function at the highest levels.
While people sleep, the brain is hard at work forming the pathways necessary for learning and creating memories and new insights. Without enough sleep, people cannot focus and pay attention or respond quickly. A lack of sleep may even cause mood problems. In addition, growing evidence shows that a chronic lack of sleep increases the risk for developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and infections.
Despite the mounting support for the notion that adequate sleep, like adequate nutrition and physical activity, is vital to wellbeing, people are sleeping less. The nonstop "24/7" nature of the world today encourages longer or nighttime work hours and offers continual access to entertainment and other activities. To keep up, people cut back on sleep. A common myth is that people can learn to get by on little sleep (such as less than six hours a night) with no adverse consequences. Research suggests, however, that adults need at least seven or eight hours of sleep each night to feel rested. Indeed, in 1910, most people slept nine hours a night. But recent surveys show the average adult now sleeps less than seven hours a night and more than one-third of adults report daytime sleepiness so severe that it interferes with work and social functioning at least a few days each month. As many as 70 million Americans may be affected by chronic sleep loss or sleep disorders, at an annual cost of $16 billion in health care expenses and $50 billion in lost productivity.
What happens when people do not get enough sleep? Can people make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends? How does sleep change as people become older? Is snoring a problem? Do people suffer from sleep disorders? Read on to find the answers to these questions and to better understand what sleep is and why it is so necessary. Learn about common sleep myths and practical tips for getting adequate sleep, coping with jet lag and nighttime shift work and avoiding dangerous drowsy driving. Many common sleep disorders go unrecognized and doctors cannot treat them.

Paying for Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Finding ways to pay for treatment to recover from dependence on alcohol or drugs takes some research. Addiction treatment can be quite costly and the wrong program can be ineffective. The severity and duration of the substance a person abuses and the type of treatment the person requires all contribute to the costs.
Some treatment for drug and alcohol dependence costs more than others. Residential treatment is more expensive than outpatient treatment. The location of the facility, amenities offered and staffing also influence treatment costs. Chronic alcoholism or drug abuse may require longer-term treatment and that can become very costly depending on the treatment facility.

Determine the Payment Approach

The goal of every drug and alcohol abuse treatment center is to help the patient to abstain from use, to be able to function again normally and re-enter society and to stay in recovery--clean and sober. In an ideal world, no treatment facility would turn any client away for lack of ability to pay. In reality, not every drug and alcohol treatment center can do this because of fixed costs. Still, there are various methods available for assisting clients pay for treatment.

Private Insurance

The most commonly used payment for drug and alcohol treatment is through private insurance. The insurance coverage may pay for some or a great portion of the drug and alcohol treatment program. The websites of some addiction treatment centers may mention specific insurance carriers, particularly if the facilities are preferred addiction treatment centers for national insurance companies such as Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna and others. Whether or not private insurance covers any portion of drug and alcohol treatment depends on whether the facilities are ERISA or non-ERISA plans. The Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that sets standards for certain health plans offered by employers. If the plan is ERISA, it may or may not cover drug and alcohol treatment, as it is not required to. Non-ERISA plans and other group health plans, are required to provide at least four inpatient detox admissions (of up to 7 days each) in a lifetime, at least 30 days per year (lifetime 90 days) of non-hospital residential treatment and at least 30 days a year of partial hospitalization or outpatient services.

Military Insurance

Members of the armed services who need alcohol or substance abuse treatment may have some or most of the costs paid for through military insurance.

Medicare, Medicaid and Medical

Many treatment facilities advertise that accepting Medicare, Medicaid and Medical. Medicare Part A covers some drug and alcohol treatment received at a hospital (including room, meals, nursing and some other services), while Part B covers some services provided by alcohol and drug professionals (inpatient or outpatient), lab tests, partial hospitalization and outpatient therapies. Be aware that Medicare does not cover the total cost of most treatment and services and patients pay deductibles and co-payments.

Self Payment

The two major things to consider when evaluating self payment for addiction treatment are that the first attempts at drug and alcohol treatments do not always work. Ongoing addiction usually has high mental and financial costs as well as increased risk for other problems.