Quick answer
Hospital inpatient addiction treatment is the most intensive level of care. It provides 24-hour physician and nursing care in a hospital for people with severe withdrawal, dangerous medical problems or serious mental health crises linked to substance use. Stays are usually short, often a few days to about a week, followed by step-down treatment.
Enter a city, state or zip code to see licensed programs nearby, with the insurance they accept and their accreditation.
Weston, MA 02493
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Private insurance · Self-pay
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Kemah, TX 77565
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Private insurance · TRICARE · Self-pay +1 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Redlands, CA 92374
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Private insurance · TRICARE +1 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Midland, TX 79705
CARF accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Private insurance · TRICARE · Self-pay +1 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Tarzana, CA 91356
Joint Commission accredited · CARF accredited · COA accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Medicare · Private insurance +4 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Chandler, AZ 85226
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Private insurance · TRICARE +1 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Private insurance · TRICARE +2 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Private insurance · Self-pay
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Tucson, AZ 85715
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Private insurance · TRICARE +1 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
San Antonio, TX 78229
Joint Commission accredited · CARF accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Medicare · Private insurance +4 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Covina, CA 91724
Joint Commission accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Medicare · Private insurance +2 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Pasadena, CA 91107
Joint Commission accredited · COA accredited
Levels of care
Payment accepted
Medicaid · Medicare · Private insurance +2 more
“Get help” calls our free helpline, not this facility.
Hospital inpatient care happens in a general hospital, a psychiatric hospital, or a specialized addiction unit within a hospital. Doctors and nurses are available around the clock, and you have full access to hospital services such as lab tests, imaging, intensive monitoring and specialist consults.
The ASAM Criteria, placement guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), call this Level 4 – Medically Managed Inpatient in the fourth edition, published in 2023. The third edition called it Level 4 Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient, with 4-WM for hospital-level withdrawal management. In the fourth edition, withdrawal management is built into Level 4 rather than listed separately.
The focus is on medical and psychiatric stabilization. Once you are stable, you move to a less intensive level of care to continue treatment.
Not sure whether you need a hospital or another setting? Call (877) 847-2855 to talk through options and check your insurance benefits. It's free and confidential. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
A doctor decides whether hospital care is needed. It is usually for people who have:
Safety first: Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening. If you or a loved one has a seizure, severe confusion, chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Admission. Many people arrive through the emergency department, though some hospitals accept direct admissions to an addiction or detox unit. A medical team takes your history, examines you and orders tests.
Medical stabilization. Staff monitor your vital signs and withdrawal symptoms closely, sometimes every hour at first. They give medications to control withdrawal, treat dehydration or infection, and manage other conditions.
A typical day. Expect frequent checks by nurses, daily rounds by a physician, medications on a schedule, and rest. As you stabilize, you may meet with an addiction medicine specialist, psychiatrist, social worker or counselor. Some units offer brief therapy or education groups.
Starting medication. For opioid use disorder, hospitals can start buprenorphine or methadone. Starting medication in the hospital and continuing it afterward can lower the risk of returning to use and overdose. Learn more about medication-assisted treatment.
Discharge planning. A social worker or case manager should help arrange your next level of care before you leave.
Mental health care. Many people in hospital care also have depression, anxiety, trauma or another mental health condition. A psychiatric evaluation during your stay can shape the rest of your treatment plan. If you have both conditions, look for a next program that offers dual diagnosis treatment, so both are treated at the same time.
Family involvement. With your permission, staff can talk with family members about your condition and discharge plan. Loved ones can help by bringing a list of your medications, your insurance card and contact details for your doctors.
Hospital stays for substance use are usually short, often a few days to about a week. Length depends on how severe your withdrawal or medical problems are and how quickly you stabilize. Insurers review medical necessity throughout the stay.
A hospital stay is not a full course of addiction treatment. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes that medically assisted withdrawal is only the first stage of treatment and, alone, does little to change long-term drug use.
| Level of care | ASAM level (4th ed.) | Setting | Medical staffing | Typical length | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital inpatient | 4 | Hospital | 24-hour physician and nursing care | A few days to about a week | Severe withdrawal, medical or psychiatric instability |
| Medically managed residential | 3.7 | Residential facility | 24-hour nursing, physician oversight | Days to weeks | Needs medical monitoring, but not a hospital |
| High-intensity residential | 3.5 | Residential facility | 24-hour staff, medical services as needed | Often weeks to months | Medically stable, needs intensive therapy |
| Partial hospitalization / high-intensity outpatient | 2.5 | Home | Medical staff available during program hours | Often a few weeks | Stable at home, needs daily structure |
Learn more about residential detox and inpatient residential treatment.
Hospital care for substance use is generally covered as a medical benefit when it is medically necessary. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), substance use disorder services are an essential health benefit, and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) generally requires plans to treat these benefits on par with medical care.
What you pay depends on:
Medicare Part A generally covers medically necessary inpatient hospital care, including for substance use disorders. Medicaid covers inpatient hospital care in every state, though rules vary. Hospital care is usually the most expensive level of care, so costs vary widely with your coverage. See does insurance cover rehab? for more.
In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital. When you have time to plan, look for:
Be wary of outside recruiters who approach you or your family in the hospital and offer free travel, free housing or cash to attend a particular program. Paying for patient referrals, known as patient brokering, is illegal under the federal Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 and many state laws. A good next program will be licensed, accredited and chosen for your needs, not a recruiter's commission. Our guide on how to choose a rehab can help.
Most people step down to one of these levels:
Going straight from the hospital into the next level of care protects your progress and lowers overdose risk, especially after opioid withdrawal, when tolerance drops.
To find a program that can accept you after discharge and works with your insurance, call (877) 847-2855 to reach our admissions helpline. It's free and confidential.
Hospital inpatient care takes place in a hospital with doctors and nurses available around the clock and is meant for medical stabilization. Residential rehab takes place in a non-hospital facility and focuses on longer-term therapy and recovery skills. Many people move from a hospital stay into residential or outpatient treatment.
Hospital stays for substance use problems are usually short, often a few days to about a week. The goal is to get you medically stable so you can safely continue treatment at a less intensive level. The exact length depends on your condition and your insurer's medical necessity review.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you or a loved one has a seizure, severe confusion, hallucinations, chest pain, a very high fever, trouble breathing, or signs of overdose. Withdrawal from alcohol and benzodiazepines can be life-threatening. Don't wait to see if symptoms pass.
Medicare Part A generally covers inpatient hospital care, including care for substance use disorders, when it is medically necessary. Deductibles and other costs apply. Check your specific Medicare plan for details, especially if you have a Medicare Advantage plan with its own network rules.
Some hospitals have dedicated addiction medicine or detox units that accept direct admissions, while others admit through the emergency department. Admission depends on medical need. A clinician can help determine whether you need hospital care or whether residential or outpatient withdrawal management is safe for you.
