Receipt of Telehealth Services, Receipt and Retention of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, and Medically Treated Overdose Among Medicare Beneficiaries Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

JAMA Psychiatry

During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency authority allowed expanded telehealth services for MOUD as well as increased take home doses of methadone at OTPs. This study used data from the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding telehealth services for OUD, retention in treatment, and medically treated overdoses. Telehealth services for OUD increased significantly during the pandemic to 20% of beneficiaries compared to 0.6% prepandemic. Receipt of telehealth services was associated with increased MOUD retention (aOR 1.27) and reduced medically treated overdose (aOR 0.67). MOUD (mostly methadone) from an OTP increased during the pandemic to 4.0% from 1.4% prepandemic. The authors conclude that the improved retention and decrease in overdoses associated with telehealth support making these emergency changes permanent.

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