Continuing Patients on Medications for Opioid Use Disorder—New Challenges for Research and Policy

Key Points

• The research aims to assess changes in treatment quality for opioid use disorder in Medicaid beneficiaries between 2019 and 2023.
• Analyzed Medicaid enrollment and claims records from 47 states and the District of Columbia.
• Examined changes in OUD diagnosis prevalence and MOUD treatment attendance.
• Assessed 180-day retention in MOUD and rates of hospitalization or emergency department visits.
• Notable changes in the prevalence of OUD diagnoses and MOUD treatment rates were observed.
• Retention in MOUD treatment over 180 days varied significantly based on the socio-economic characteristics of beneficiaries.
• Increase in OUD-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits indicates a potential gap in ongoing care.