Medicaid Patients Face Barriers in Accessing Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

According to an analysis of US Medicaid enrollees, nearly 70% of Medicaid patients newly diagnosed with opioid use disorder do not receive medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) within six months — an urgent shortfall tied to worse clinical outcomes.

The investigators reviewed 1,172,200 Medicaid enrollees across 44 states from April 2016 to December 2019, using MOUD initiation within six months as the primary endpoint. About 69% did not start MOUD within 180 days — a rate well below guideline-concordant expectations and one that undermines opportunities to reduce overdose risk.

Black and Hispanic Medicaid recipients were significantly less likely than White patients to receive MOUD within six months. The authors cite structural barriers, limited prescriber access and geographic treatment deserts as key contributors — factors that widen existing inequities in addiction outcomes.

Delayed or absent MOUD is associated with higher short-term overdose risk and poorer retention in care.