COBRA Rehab and Heroin Detox Coverage
The first step to recovery from heroin addiction is drug detoxification. Avoid risking your life by attempting to detox on your own. Through the benefits of COBRA Heroin Detox Coverage you can receive medically supervised, painless detox. This will help you maintain your sobriety in the long term as you complete your rehabilitation from heroin.
What to Expect: Heroin Detox
The detoxification process from heroin can take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on the extent of your addiction, i.e. how often you are using and how much heroin you are ingesting for maintenance against withdrawals. In order to get into a facility offering services as noted by COBRA Heroin Detox Coverage you will need to seek a primary care physician or nurse practitioner, as noted by Medline Plus. They will be able to diagnose you as having an addiction to heroin following:
- A physical exam
- Questions regarding your history of drug use
- A blood test to determine the amount of heroin in your system
- CBC, i.e. complete blood count, to test your levels of white and red blood cells and platelets
- Liver function tests
- Blood chemistry tests
The doctor’s thorough exam and subsequent diagnosis will help specialized medical professionals determine which level of treatment you need to receive during your detox from heroin. The treatment process for medically supervised, painless detox will include medications, such as clonidine, and supportive care.
- Clonidine is safely used to reduce stomach cramps, muscle pain, agitation, anxiety, sweating and a runny nose.
After you have successfully completed detox via COBRA Heroin Detox Coverage you will be transferred to a clinic or facility to complete rehabilitation. During this process you may be given drugs to help cope with the long-term effects of withdrawals, most notably cravings for heroin.
- The most common drug used for maintenance is methadone, but Subutox, aka buprenorphine, can also be used at this point for treating withdrawals.
Check with your insurance provider under your COBRA Heroin Detox Coverage plan to determine if your benefits will include the various types of medications offered to you during detox and withdrawal from heroin. Additionally, you will want to make sure to choose medications for maintenance that are covered by your healthcare plan as you move into the recovery stage.