Drug addiction affects every race, age and gender. For drug addicted people 65 years or older, Medicare may be an option to pay for some if not all of their drug treatment. Medicare insurance may cover the treatment of drug addiction or alcoholism in both outpatient and inpatient settings, as long as certain requirements are met. The addict must obtain services from a Medicare-participating facility or provider. The drug addicted person's doctor notes that the drug or alcohol treatment is medically necessary and that the patient's doctor creates the plan of treatment to be carried out. Also, Medicare will only cover a total of 190 days in a psychiatric hospital for the individual's entire lifetime.