Expiring Policies Threaten Progress on Opioid Use Disorder Med Uptake

States and the federal government have taken steps in recent years to increase access to medications to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), such as allowing prescribing via telehealth and easing other restrictions for providers. However, some of those policies are set to expire in the coming months and more needs to be done to ensure patients receive the much-needed treatments, health policy experts tell AIS Health, a division of MMIT.

A KFF analysis found a 24% increase from 2019 to 2022 in the dispensing of buprenorphine, one of three FDA-approved medications for OUD. A separate KFF report published last month showed that 63% of Medicaid enrollees with an OUD diagnosis received medication treatment in 2020.