States With Substantial Increases In Buprenorphine Uptake Did So With Increased Medicaid Prescribing, 2018–24

Health Affairs

Multiple federal policy changes since 2018 intended to increase buprenorphine prescribing in response to a persistent treatment gap for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the US. Anticipated national increases did not occur, but highly variable state-level trends provide important insights. This study used IQVIA data to examine all-payer and per payer prescribing across states during the period 2018–24.  Researchers found that highly disparate state-level changes suggest that federal policy impacts were mediated by state-specific factors. Medicaid’s key role in driving overall prescribing highlights the public health urgency of maintaining expansions and sustaining enrollment for the single adult population. 

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