As an insurance company that has been active for over 30 years (1), Vitality prides itself on providing plans that do more than just cover health and life insurance.
Through various different plans and services, individuals are able to access a variety of additional benefits, especially those for their mental health.
Addiction is a disorder that can impact anyone, no matter their background or culture, so having a strong source of mental health support is beneficial in any individual’s cover.
There are a variety of different plans available depending on an individual’s needs, but those seeking financial support for struggles with disorders such as addiction should always ensure that this is the path that they seek when enquiring about addiction support and healthcare insurance.
Addiction rehabilitation falls under the category of mental health support in terms of insurance, meaning that standard healthcare insurance plans may not always come with this added benefit.
Through Vitality Health Insurance plans, an individual may be able to access different types of addiction treatment, as long as it is pre-authorised by the company and is seen as beneficial for the individual’s mental health.
This is why, as will be covered in more detail later in this article, it is always beneficial for an individual to also gain a referral to health insurance companies through their GP or local healthcare provider.
The following headlines go into further detail about the different treatment options that may be covered, as well as some different limitations that individuals may need to consider.
The specific rehabs accepting Aviva Health insurance, rather frustratingly, keep changing, and so we’ve since decided not to list the specific rehabs that do, because this is subject to change.
Please contact our helpline on 0800 140 4690 for the full list of rehabs currently accepting payment via Aviva Health insurance.
While covered under Vitality Health Insurance, an individual may be able to access the following treatments, determined by pre-authorisation and GP referrals, as well as other factors – speak to Vitality directly for specific circumstances:
Depending on the individual’s plan, there are several different ways in which Vitality Health Insurance can cover an individual throughout their addiction recovery journey.
For example, outpatient mental health sessions may be covered on an annual basis, meaning that individuals can access a set number throughout that period.
In addition, some addiction treatments may not be covered, so individuals should always ensure that the programmes and treatments that they are looking for are covered, as well as having been pre-authorised by Vitality itself.
Pre-existing conditions are also something that individuals should be aware of, and this is covered in further detail across the next subheading.
Depending on the individual’s situation and circumstances, Vitality Health Insurance may be limited or excluding of some pre-existing conditions.
This could include addiction in some cases.
However, Vitality will accept cover (in some cases) for addiction if the individual has been in a period of stability for an extended amount of time, as well as if they have not received any treatment for this condition in a certain amount of time.
This means that if an individual has ongoing issues with addiction, then they are unlikely to be covered for addiction treatment, but this is always something that individuals should speak directly to Vitality about or contact a referral service such as Rehab 4 Addiction to find out more about pre-existing conditions and the stipulations of this comparatively.
In general, private residential addiction treatment is not something that is typically covered by a Vitality Health Insurance plan.
This refers to most inpatient treatments where an individual resides within a designated rehab centre for the duration of their treatment, as these centres often include other costs within their final bills such as accommodation which goes beyond Vitality’s range of healthcare cover.
However, in some cases where addiction can be linked to an individual’s additional mental health conditions that are deemed a risk to their general health, then there may be some support for inpatient psychiatric care.
It is important to note that this is only in extreme circumstances and also only if the provider of inpatient care is approved by Vitality, as well.
In short, the answer is yes – individuals will need a GP referral for addiction treatment to be covered through Vitality, as well as the possibility of needing an additional psychiatric assessment through a Vitality-approved consultant.
This is to ensure that the admissions process for a Vitality Health Insurance plan goes smoothly, as these companies need to be informed of all the factors that may influence the level of coverage and support that is needed and whether this is something that they will or will not be able to help with.
The best way to find Vitality-approved providers of addiction treatment and other services is to contact Vitality directly.
This can be done over the telephone, by checking the details of an existing plan, or by going online and searching through the Vitality Member Zone to find direct details.
In addition, customer support services are always available through Vitality, or through referral services such as Rehab 4 Addiction.
In the unfortunate event that an individual is unable to receive the coverage that they need through Vitality Health Insurance, then there are several next steps that these individuals can pursue.
For example, there are some addiction treatment options that an individual in the UK can access through the National Health Service (NHS), though these can often come with long waiting lists and also do not often cover inpatient rehab services – the most effective and common treatment for addiction.
In any case of needing further information about what to do next, either to find healthcare insurance plans or to find out more about anything read in this article, then Rehab 4 Addiction’s support line is available 24/7.
A member of our friendly and professional team will be available to give free and confidential advice on any stage of the rehabilitation process, as well as giving advice that is specific to your needs or the needs of someone you know.
To get in touch with Rehab 4 Addiction, call us today on 0800 140 4690.
[1] Vitality UK; https://www.vitality.co.uk/
[2] Da Silva Roggi, P.M., Da Gama, M.F.N., Neves, F.S. and Garcia, F., 2015. Update on treatment of craving in patients with addiction using cognitive behavioral therapy. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 12(5).
