Substance Use Disorder 

More than 30% of Medicare beneficiaries and 40% of patients dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid use opioids. With an estimated 8%-12% of patients developing an opioid use disorder (OUD) after initiating opioids, opioid misuse is a significant public health challenge, especially among high-risk Medicare populations. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications for the treatment of OUD and to prevent relapse to opioid use. MAT is the most effective treatment for OUD. There are a variety of barriers to MAT therapy that may delay access to treatment.

AMCP supports regulatory and legislative provisions relating to opioid management that ensure appropriate patient access and treatment of uncontrolled pain, while limiting abuse and diversion of opioids and opioid potentiators. .

An analysis published in JMCP found that patients in the North Carolina Medicaid program continued to receive opioids and benzodiazepines concurrently despite known risks. Read the results and recommendations that may benefit this and other Medicaid populations.