How to Avoid Drug Rehab Scams in Orange County

Drug Rehabs That Prey on the Most Vulnerable
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 2.5 million people receive substance abuse treatment each year, creating a $35 billion industry. Many of these rehabilitation centers are filled with caring, expert professionals and do help millions of people, but the industry has also attracted many who seek to take advantage of those in their most vulnerable time. Many of these vulnerable patients are being used for many drug rehabs to commit insurance fraud. Crooked treatment centers are using recruiters to find patients with good health insurance to check into specific treatment centers, who then pay kickbacks for every client. Once the patients are in, they bill their insurance for tens of thousands of dollars for every type of treatment or laboratory test. Some of these places go as far as encouraging drug use because relapse means more profit. This is just one of the many drug rehab scams that are out there, which prevent many individuals from getting the help they desperately need for substance abuse. Being aware of the type of drug rehab scams can help you avoid being taken advantage of and find the right treatment program that can actually help you find long-term sobriety.
Just like how we use the internet to find help with many of our everyday problems, those looking for a rehabilitation center will most likely search for one on the internet. With a large number of rehab centers around the country, you can easily end up finding one that promises way more than what they deliver. Google had suspended drug rehab ads for a year because of these scams and even though they have a better vetting process now, some illegitimate rehab centers still fall through the cracks.
Unethical addiction marketing practices are the first line in taking advantage of vulnerable patients. Promising quick cures to addiction to those desperate for help and then being met by aggressive sales tactics in call centers that pressure individuals to set a deposit.
Some places have even created a cycle of addiction to turn a bigger profit. They will keep patients in their facility until their insurance runs out and send them to a “sober living facility”, which is no more than a flophouse, where they will relapse and go back to the facility for treatment again. This creates a cycle of keeping their patients relapsing in order to run up their insurance time and time again.
Addiction Treatment that
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Common Drug Rehab Scams
There is a long history of illegal conduct in all areas of medicine and healthcare, but substance abuse centers have still remained unmonitored in comparison. Some of the more prominent forms of drug rehab scams include:
1. Detox as rehab. Some detox facilities will claim that their program “cures” drug addiction. First, drug addiction is a chronic disorder and it is impossible to cure it. Individuals will learn to manage their addiction through understanding triggers and finding healthy alternatives, as well as better decision-making skills to help them throughout their lives for long-term sobriety. Drug detox is just the first step in the recovery process.
2. Relying solely on herbal remedies. Even though there is a place for natural ingredients in rehab to help minimize cravings and can be a part of a treatment regimen, they cannot be relied on to treat the root cause of addiction. There is no pill to “cure” addiction and any place that advertises so is being fraudulent.
3. Guarantees. Rehab places that are promising a “full recovery” in X amount of time, are lying. Every person is different and so is their recovery journey. A good rehab will never promise you a set, standard timetable but just give you a general idea of what the individual’s program may look like. They will also always be ready to adjust the program for how the patient progresses.
4. Short programs. Programs that claim they can help patients overcome addiction in two weeks are also lying. This is simply not possible. Rehab programs that are highly successful, are at least one to three months. Some individuals may even need treatment for up to a year.
Drug Rehab Kickback Schemes in Orange County
Recently, a U.S. Justice Department investigation on kickback schemes at substance abuse centers in Orange County led to criminal charges against 10 defendants in 2021. These 10 defendants were substance abuse facility owners and recruiters who were involved in receiving kickback payments for the referral of patients to treatment facilities, recovery homes, and laboratories. The schemes involved facility owners assigning values to patients depending on how much their insurance paid, and then paid patient recruiters kickbacks for each patient they referred to their addiction treatment facilities
Drug rehabs offer much-needed help and services to addicts, but these kickback schemes have taken advantage of the nation’s opioid crisis. They were more interested in generating profits than giving help to the vulnerable.
How to Avoid Drug Rehab Scams
There are ways to avoid being part of a drug rehab scam and find a legitimate rehab facility. Here is what you can do and what to look for when researching drug rehabilitation centers:
1. Check their accreditation. Rehab programs are not required to have national accreditation, but when they do, that is a very good sign. This means the facility meets the highest standards in the industry.
2. Check the licenses of their therapists and medical professionals. Each state has its own requirements for licensing and certification, but every license can easily be looked up online to verify they have the training they claim.
3. Read reviews on third-party sites. See what other people say on their search engine business pages and do not trust just what they post on their websites.
4. Call and ask lots of questions. A good treatment facility will be transparent with its programs and their success. They will want to make sure they are a good fit for you because they want a high success rate.
5. Tour the facility. Physically go see the facility and meet their staff. Some will even let you talk to their current residents so you can ask them questions on how their recovery journey with them is going.
6. Continued care. Look for facilities that offer care after your program is over. Offering a lifetime of support can make the difference in avoiding relapse and shows they really do care for their patients in the long run.
7. Individualized care. Programs that offer tailor-made treatments are the most effective. No two addicts are the same or the root cause of their addiction. Each may resonate with different therapies and a good program will help them find the most effective treatments.
8. Residential care. Inpatient programs with licensed staff are the most effective form of rehabilitation. In some cases, residential care is not possible due to home obligations or other circumstances, but if possible, a program with inpatient care will be most beneficial.
9. Variety of length programs. Again, there is no one-size-fits-all program. Offering different length programs shows that the treatment facility does want to help their clients find sobriety and can help them do so.
10. Diversity of options. A good treatment program will offer a wide array of evidence-based treatment with holistic and experimental treatments as well.
The number one advice to get out of this list is to look for a place that recognizes recovery is a long process and that every person needs individual care. They know it is not an easy road to walk and there are no easy solutions.
Drug Rehab You Can Trust at Resurgence
At Resurgence Behavioral Health, we offer comprehensive and effective long-term care for drug and alcohol addiction through mental health, substance abuse, and primary care services. When you call us, you will speak to one of our addiction specialists who can answer your questions and help you, without pressure, to figure out if Resurgence is the right place for you.
We also offer medical detox that can ease the withdrawal process and then customize a treatment plan for each patient, and they are assigned a treatment team to help them through their own unique journey. We assess each person who comes for treatment and designs their plan which will focus on healing the whole person, and not just the addiction. Our professionals employ evidence-based treatments along with holistic treatments such as art therapy, in a peaceful, comfortable environment.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse in Orange County, please give us a call today. You can rest assured you are in good hands and will help you figure out if Resurgence is the right fit for you.
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— Resurgence Behavioral Health (@RBHRecovery) January 13, 2022
Addiction Treatment that
Just Works
Individualized treatment programs delivered in a comfortable, relaxed setting promote healing in your recovery journey.