Lucet (New Directions) Insurance Coverage for Veteran Addiction Treatment

Overview of Lucet for Veterans

Lucet launched when New Directions Behavioral Health and Tridiuum merged. Lucet, a behavioral health company with over 20 years of behavioral health expertise and clinical research, helps health plans manage their networks and members manage their health. What does that mean exactly? Lucet helps its members find available mental health and substance use treatment providers that are the right fit for them.¹ The company offers many support options for Veterans and works to connect current and former service members with behavioral health services, community resources, preventative care, and more.

Lucet Options for Veterans’ Rehab

Lucet partners with health insurance companies and employers to provide Veterans and others with mental health and drug and alcohol rehab services and treatment.² Lucet currently works with BlueCross BlueShield across multiple regions in the United States and also select health plans, which vary by state.³

To find out if your employer or health insurance company offers behavioral health coverage through Lucet, call the number on the back of your insurance card.

Types of Addiction Treatment Available to Veterans Through Lucet

There are different levels of care available for addiction treatment, and Lucet may be able to help connect you with the care you need, depending on your insurance coverage. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all treatment plan for addiction, so it’s important to consult your primary care physician, mental healthcare provider, or an addiction care specialist, who can assess your needs and help develop a custom treatment plan for you.

Your individualized treatment plan may involve one or more levels of care and may include:⁴

• Medical detox. The medically managed detox process helps manage your withdrawal symptoms as your body rids itself of the substance or substances. Healthcare professionals oversee the detox process to keep you safe and as comfortable as possible.
• Inpatient rehab. Inpatient treatment allows you to fully focus on your recovery. That’s because in an inpatient or residential care program, you live at the treatment facility for the duration of treatment, which can include a combination of individual and group counseling, behavioral therapies, psychoeducation, and medication (if necessary). 
• Outpatient rehab. Outpatient rehab occurs at different levels of intensity. Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), also known as day treatment, offer counseling and therapy sessions most days a week for several hours at a time. Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) differ from program to program but often offer counseling and therapy sessions 3 days a week for 3 hours during the day or evening. Standard outpatient programs are the least intense and generally provide treatment sessions once a week or even biweekly. Regardless of the outpatient program, individuals return home or to a sober living residence at the end of each day.
• Behavioral health services. Counseling and group therapy can help support your recovery and are part of addiction treatment regardless of the setting.
• Aftercare. Often referred to as ongoing care, aftercare takes place when the formal treatment ends and may include living in a sober residence, participating in 12-Step meetings, continuing therapy and counseling, doing alumni activities, and more.

Your treatment plan may include one or more levels of care, and Lucet can help you cover some or all of the cost of your addiction treatment through your health insurance provider, depending on the specifics of your plan. Talking with the treatment facility before beginning treatment can help you understand the out-of-pocket costs you will be responsible for.

Using Lucet for Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab for Veterans

Using your health plan, Lucet can help connect you with the care you need, whether that’s an inpatient or outpatient program or a combination of the two. Lucet’s role is twofold: support providers and facilities in their treatment of Veterans and other members with substance use disorder and ensure that all members have access to timely, appropriate treatment.⁵

That’s why it’s important to see your primary care physician or mental healthcare provider, who can assess your needs and determine the most appropriate treatment plan for you. 

Lucet medical necessity criteria is used to make benefit determinations, and depending on your specific health insurance plan, your level of care may also require pre-authorization.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network Rehab Facilities

In-network facilities have an agreement with your insurance plan regarding a set cost for services. Out-of-network facilities do not have this type of agreement. Choosing an in-network facility can reduce your out-of-pocket costs for treatment. While you can explore Lucet’s online provider directory to get a list of providers in your area, the information does not guarantee insurance coverage. For that, you need to call the number on the back of your health insurance card.

Alternative Payment Options if Rehab Is Not Fully Covered by Insurance

If your rehab is not fully covered by insurance, you have options as a Veteran. You may be eligible for benefits through Veterans Affairs (VA) or TRICARE insurance, which offers coverage for qualifying active-duty service members, Veterans, and their dependents. With these insurance plans, your addiction treatment, including counseling, therapy, medication, and more may be covered.⁷

Besides insurance, there are other ways to pay for addiction treatment, including: 

• Self payment using cash, credit, or debit cards.
• Payment plans or other financing options that treatment centers may offer to allow you to pay for treatment over time instead of all at once upfront.
• Loans from family, friends, or financial institutions.
• Sliding fee scales, which may be offered at some treatment facilities, and adjusts your costs for care based on your ability to pay.
• Scholarships or grants, which may be available through the rehab facility or from the local, state, or federal governments.
• Crowdfunding sites.

State-run programs and the VA can also provide free rehab services to Veterans.

How to Verify Your Insurance Benefits

As previously mentioned, you can verify your insurance coverage for addiction treatment by calling the number on the back of your insurance card. You can also fill out the form above or reach out to American Addiction Centers (AAC) to connect with a knowledgeable admissions navigator, who can verify your benefits and help you begin your recovery.

AAC operates treatment centers across the country, provides the complete continuum of care, offers evidence-based therapies, and has a Veteran-specific program designed to meet the unique needs and challenges of military Veterans.