What the study found
The study found that among Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder, receipt of medications for opioid use disorder increased from 2019 to 2023, while diagnosis of opioid use disorder declined and treatment continuity worsened. The authors also report mixed changes in opioid use disorder-related hospital or emergency department visits.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that progress in medication treatment was widespread across states and suggest that the increase in medication use may have contributed to reductions in overdose deaths. They also state that more research is needed.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used repeated cross-sectional Medicaid claims data from 2018 to 2023 to measure years 2019 through 2023. They examined non-dual eligible Medicaid beneficiaries ages 18 to 64 in 47 states and the District of Columbia, focusing on opioid use disorder diagnosis, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD continuity for at least 180 days, and opioid use disorder-related hospitalization or emergency department visits.
What worked and what didn't
The percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder who received MOUD increased from 60.0% to 69.1% and rose in 45 states. The percentage with MOUD continuity for at least 180 days decreased from 62.6% to 57.6%, and opioid use disorder diagnosis declined from 4.2% to 3.6%; opioid use disorder-related hospitalization or emergency department visits changed only slightly overall, from 10.9% to 10.6%.
What to keep in mind
This summary is based on Medicaid claims data and covers non-dual eligible beneficiaries ages 18 to 64 in 47 states and the District of Columbia. The abstract does not describe specific limitations beyond noting that more research is needed.
Key points
- MOUD receipt among Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder increased from 60.0% in 2019 to 69.1% in 2023.
- MOUD continuity for at least 180 days decreased from 62.6% to 57.6%.
- Opioid use disorder diagnosis declined from 4.2% to 3.6% across the study period.
- Opioid use disorder-related hospitalization or emergency department visits decreased slightly overall, from 10.9% to 10.6%.
- The increase in MOUD use occurred in 45 states; the decline in diagnosis occurred in 34 states.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- MOUD use rose among Medicaid beneficiaries with OUD
- Authors:
- Thanh T. Lu, William N. Dowd, Tami L. Mark, Marianne Kluckman, Barrett Montgomery, Chelsea Katz, Dylan DeLisle, Gary A. Zarkin
- Institutions:
- RTI International, RTI International, RTI International, RTI International, RTI International, RTI International, RTI International, RTI International
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-22
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- Photo by DiamondRehabThailand on Pixabay · Pixabay License
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