Medicare patients may have challenges accessing medication treatment for opioid use disorder, OIG says

Fierce Healthcare December 17, 2021
Anastassia Gliadkovskaya

Less than 16% of more than one million Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with opioid use disorder in 2020 received medication to treat the condition, a new Office of Inspector General (OIG) report found.

The OIG also found that though the combination of medication and behavioral therapy is recommended, less than one third of those who received medication in an office-based setting also received behavioral therapy, according to the report. However, at opioid treatment programs, behavioral therapy is required and was administered.

While not every beneficiary needs medication for opioid use disorder, the report acknowledged, the low percentage of those who received it may indicate difficulty in accessing it. Some potential explanations are delayed care due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a...

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