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Salehian S, Cunningham P, Barnes A, Lee SYD. The Cumulative Effect of Expanding the Breadth and Scope of Coverage for Substance Use Disorder Treatment on Behavioral Health Acute Inpatient Admissions: Evidence from Virginia Medicaid. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:777. [PMID: 38929023 PMCID: PMC11204056 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
We evaluated the impact of Medicaid policies in Virginia (VA), namely the Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) program and Medicaid expansion, on the number of behavioral health acute inpatient admissions from 2016 to 2019. We used Poisson fixed-effect event study regression and compared average proportional differences in admissions over three time periods: (1) prior to ARTS; (2) following ARTS but before Medicaid expansion; (3) post-Medicaid expansion. The number of behavioral health acute inpatient admissions decreased by 2.6% (95% CI [-5.1, -0.2]) in the first quarter of 2018 and this decrease gradually intensified by 4.9% (95% CI [-7.5, -2.4]) in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the second quarter of 2017 (beginning of ARTS) in VA relative to North Carolina (NC). Following the first quarter of 2019 (beginning of Medicaid expansion), decreases in VA admissions became larger relative to NC. The average proportional difference in admissions estimated a decrease of 2.7% (95% CI, [-4.1, -0.8]) after ARTS but before Medicaid expansion and a decrease of 2.9% (95% CI, [-6.1, 0.4]) post-Medicaid expansion compared to pre-ARTS in VA compared to NC. Behavioral health acute inpatient admissions in VA decreased following ARTS implementation, and the decrease became larger after Medicaid expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva Salehian
- Department of Health Policy, School of Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA; (P.C.); (A.B.); (S.-Y.D.L.)
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Barbosa C, Dowd WN, Buell N, Allaire B, Bobashev G. Simulated impact of medicaid expansion on the economic burden of opioid use disorder in North Carolina. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 128:104449. [PMID: 38733650 PMCID: PMC11213665 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid use disorder (OUD) imposes significant costs on state and local governments. Medicaid expansion may lead to a reduction in the cost burden of OUD to the state. METHODS We estimated the health care, criminal justice and child welfare costs, and tax revenue losses, attributable to OUD and borne by the state of North Carolina in 2022, and then estimated changes in the same domains following Medicaid expansion in North Carolina (adopted in December 2023). Analyses used existing literature on the national and state-level costs attributable to OUD to estimate individual-level health care, criminal justice, and child welfare system costs, and lost tax revenues. We combined Individual-level costs and prevalence estimates to estimate costs borne by the state before Medicaid expansion. Changes in costs after expansion were computed based on a) medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) access for new enrollees and b) shifting of responsibility for some health care costs from the state to the federal government. Monte Carlo simulation accounted for the impact of parameter uncertainty. Dollar estimates are from the 2022 price year, and costs following the first year were discounted at 3 %. RESULTS In 2022, North Carolina incurred costs of $749 million (95 % credible interval [CI]: $305 M-$1,526 M) associated with OUD (53 % in health care, 36 % in criminal justice, 7 % in lost tax revenue, and 4 % in child welfare costs). Expanding Medicaid lowered the cost burden of OUD incurred by the state. The state was predicted to save an estimated $72 million per year (95 % CI: $6 M-$241 M) for the first two years and $30 million per year (95 % CI: -$28 M-$176 M) in subsequent years. Over five years, savings totaled $224 million (95 % CI: -$47 M-$949 M). CONCLUSION Medicaid expansion has the potential to decrease the burden of OUD in North Carolina, and policymakers should expedite its implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Barbosa
- Health Economics Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - William N Dowd
- Health Economics Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Naomi Buell
- Health Economics Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin Allaire
- Advanced Methods Development, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Georgiy Bobashev
- Center for Data Science, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Shrira I, Foster JD. Elevated drug overdose mortality among Americans who visit Florida, 2003-2020. Inj Prev 2024; 30:183-187. [PMID: 38307716 DOI: 10.1136/ip-2023-045053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Florida state has played a conspicuous role in the current U.S. drug epidemic. Reports suggest that even non-Florida residents may suffer excessive overdose fatalities while visiting the state, possibly in connection to two sets of events: (1) the overprescribing of controlled substances, and more recently, (2) the exploitation of patients' insurance benefits by unscrupulous operators of substance use treatment facilities in Florida. To date, however, no research has examined the overdose fatalities of non-Florida residents inside Florida. METHODS Death certificate data were used to calculate proportionate mortality ratios for overdoses among Florida residents and visitors. Deaths occurring in the rest of the USA were used as reference populations. RESULTS Between 2003 and 2020, overdose mortality was slightly elevated for Florida residents within their home counties (106.7 (95% CI 105.8 to 107.5)) and in other Florida counties (113.0 (95% CI 110.0 to 116.0)). Significantly, this mortality was much higher among out-of-state visitors in Florida (163.1 (95% CI 157.5 to 168.8)). When analysed by year, greater overdose mortality among visitors coincided with years when drug prescribing in Florida was rampant, and with the advent of expanded insurance coverage for substance use treatment. During this more recent period (since 2014), overdose mortality was exceptionally high for out-of-state visitors in Palm Beach County, where reports of malpractice in the Florida treatment industry have been concentrated. CONCLUSIONS Overdose mortality was disproportionately high among out-of-state visitors in Florida. The results suggest that the regulatory policies in Florida may be implicated in drug-related casualties of people who live in other parts of the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilan Shrira
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joshua D Foster
- Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
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4
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Maclean JC, Golberstein E, Stein B. State paid sick leave mandates associated with increased mental health disorder prescriptions among Medicaid enrollees. HEALTH AFFAIRS SCHOLAR 2024; 2:qxae045. [PMID: 38757007 PMCID: PMC11068101 DOI: 10.1093/haschl/qxae045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The United States does not have a federal paid sick leave policy. As a result, many workers, in particular lower wage workers, cannot take time off work to attend to health and family responsibilities. Fifteen states have adopted or announced paid sick leave mandates that offer employees approximately 7 days of financially protected work time each year. This time can facilitate health care use, including treatment related to mental health disorders, conditions for which treatment is time-consuming. We studied the effect of state paid sick leave mandates on prescription medications dispensed for mental health disorders using the Medicaid State Drug Utilization Database 2011-2022. We found that medications dispensed for mental health disorders increased 6% per year following adoption of a state paid sick leave mandate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Catherine Maclean
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Arlington, VA 22201, United States
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge 02138, MA, United States
- Institute of Labor Economics, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ezra Golberstein
- Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
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Stone BM. Development of the Enthusiastic Substance Use Attitudes Scale: Preliminary Evidence of a Novel Maintenance Factor. Subst Use Misuse 2024; 59:494-509. [PMID: 38269533 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2280592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Background: Expectancies, motives, and attitudes toward substances are cognitive factors that partially account for substance use; however, existing measures tend to have monotonous phrasing, diverging from the enthusiastic attitude toward the perceived benefits of substance use exhibited by those who use substances regularly in informal settings. Objective: I aimed to characterize a new cognitive maintenance factor that precedes substance use by creating a brief, multidimensional measure to capture this tone nuance, which I called the Enthusiastic Substance Use Attitudes Scale (ESUAS). Method: Undergraduate students (n = 198) between ages 18 and 62 (M = 19.15, SD = 3.65; 66.2% women; 71.71% White) completed the study for course credit. Results: I used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to reduce a 90-item item pool based on a comprehensive qualitative thematic analysis of social media, traditional media, and the scientific literature to an 18-item hierarchical bifactor model. This model contained nine specific factors, which are (1) sociability, (2) enjoyment, (3) physical health, (4) mental health, (5) relaxation, (6) personal growth, (7) performance enhancement, (8) boredom, and (9) life processing; two general factors, which are (1) substance-induced emotion regulation and (2) substance-based assistance; and a higher-order single factor above the nine specific factors - resulting in twelve highly internally consistent, empirically supported scales. Further, the ESUAS demonstrated excellent structural, convergent, divergent, incremental, and diagnostic validity. The degree of enthusiasm towards substance use positively related to substance use disorder symptomology, polysubstance use, neuroticism, and difficulty with regulating emotions while negatively relating to one's psychological quality of life and agreeableness. Conclusion: The ESUAS may be an effective tool for professionals to characterize these enthusiastic attitudes further and measure a more ecologically valid view of the perceived benefits of substance use among those who use substances, thereby developing a more compassionate, non-stigmatizing understanding within the general public, advancing medicinal uses of illicit substances, and improving conceptualizations and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryant M Stone
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, USA
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Soni A, Bullinger L, Andrews C, Abraham A, Simon K. The Impact of State Medicaid Eligibility and Benefits Policy on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Hospitalizations. CONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC POLICY 2024; 42:25-40. [PMID: 38463202 PMCID: PMC10923531 DOI: 10.1111/coep.12623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) resulting from opioid misuse are rising. However, policies to treat opioid misuse during pregnancy are unclear. We apply a difference-in-differences design to national pediatric discharge records to examine the effects of state Medicaid policies on NAS. Among states in which Medicaid covered two clinically-recommended medications for treating opioid misuse (buprenorphine, methadone), the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion reduced Medicaid-covered NAS hospitalizations. Medicaid expansion did not affect NAS hospitalizations in other expansion states. These findings imply a nuanced relationship between Medicaid policy and NAS that should be considered in addressing opioid misuse among pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kosali Simon
- Indiana University and National Bureau of Economic Research
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7
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Maclean JC, Khan T, Tsipas S, Pesko MF. The effect of cigarette and e-cigarette taxes on prescriptions for smoking cessation medications. Health Serv Res 2023; 58:1245-1255. [PMID: 36271500 PMCID: PMC10622273 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test the effect of cigarette and e-cigarette taxes on prescriptions for smoking cessation medications. DATA SOURCE Symphony Health, IDV all-payer prescription claims data for the United States over the period 2009-2017. Prescription fills for smoking cessation products were provided at the patient's age, patient's sex, brand/generic, payment type, year, and quarter levels. STUDY DESIGN We study the effect of state-level cigarette and e-cigarette tax rates on prescriptions for smoking cessation medications using two-way fixed effect modified difference-in-differences regressions. We also use a multiperiod difference-in-differences estimator robust to bias from dynamic and heterogeneous treatment effects with a staggered policy rollout. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS We use fills for Chantix, Zyban, and their generics, as well as Food and Drug Administration-approved nicotine replacement therapies that are paid for by insurance. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We observe no statistically significant change in prescription fills following an increase in the e-cigarette tax rate, though we are unable to rule out potentially large effects. However, following a $1.00 increase in the cigarette tax rate, we observe a 1052 increase in prescription fills per 100,000 adults (95% CI: 57, 2046; 4.2% increase). The effect of cigarette taxes on prescription fills was particularly large for 18-34 year-olds. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that, during a period when e-cigarettes are widely available, cigarette tax increases remain effective in increasing use of these medications, but e-cigarette taxes do not increase use of these medications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tamkeen Khan
- Improving Health OutcomesAmerican Medical AssociationChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Stavros Tsipas
- Improving Health OutcomesAmerican Medical AssociationChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Michael F. Pesko
- Andrew Young School of Policy StudiesGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
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Jayawardhana J. The impact of Medicaid expansion on mental health and substance use related inpatient visits. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 119:104140. [PMID: 37499304 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Under the Affordable Care Act, many states expanded their Medicaid eligibility, allowing individuals living at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level to receive insurance coverage. As a result, forty states and the District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid to date. Although Medicaid expansion is expected to increase access to care in general, it is not evident if it has helped increase access to mental health and substance use-related healthcare, especially in inpatient settings. Therefore, this study examines the impact of Medicaid expansion on mental health and substance use- (MHSU) related inpatient visits and the variation in payer mix. METHODS This study utilizes state-level quarterly inpatient visit data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Fast Stats Database from 2005 to 2019 and performs difference-in-differences regression analyses to compare MHSU-related inpatient visit data in expansion and non-expansion states for all visits and by payer. Analyses controlled for state-level socio-demographic and health policy variables. RESULTS Findings indicate that Medicaid expansion did not significantly affect overall MHSU-related inpatient visits. However, Medicaid expansion was associated with 22.74% increase (P < 0.01; 95% CI: 17.76, 27.71) in the Medicaid share of MHSU-related inpatient visits, 18.31% reduction (P < 0.01; 95% CI: -22.54, -14.09) in the uninsured share of MHSU-related inpatient visits, and 4.42% reduction (P < 0.05; 95% CI: -7.83, -1.01) in the privately insured share of MHSU-related inpatient visits in expansion states compared with non-expansion states. CONCLUSIONS Findings show that Medicaid expansion significantly affects the payer mix associated with MHSU-related inpatient visits while it has no significant impact on the overall MHSU-related inpatient visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayani Jayawardhana
- College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 111 Washington Avenue, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
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9
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Swartz N, Odayappan S, Chatterjee A, Cutler D. Impact of Medicaid expansion on inclusion of medications for opioid use disorder in homeless adults' treatment plans. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 152:209059. [PMID: 37207834 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People experiencing homelessness (PEH) bear disproportionate opioid mortality. This article aims to determine how state Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act impacted the inclusion of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in treatment plans for housed versus homeless individuals. METHODS The Treatment Episodes Data Set (TEDS) provided data on 6,878,044 U.S. treatment admissions between 2006 and 2019. Difference-in-differences analysis compared MOUD treatment plans and Medicaid enrollment for housed versus homeless clients in states that did and did not expand Medicaid. RESULTS Medicaid expansion was associated with a 35.2 (95 % CI, 11.9 to 58.4) percentage point increase in Medicaid enrollment and an 8.51 (95 % CI, 1.13 to 15.9) percentage point increase in MOUD-inclusive treatment plans for housed and homeless clients alike. Yet the pre-existing MOUD disparity persisted, with PEH being 11.8 (95 % CI, -18.6 to -5.07) percentage points less likely to have MOUD-inclusive treatment plans. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid expansion may be an effective tool for increasing MOUD treatment plans for PEH in the 11 states that have not yet implemented the policy, but additional efforts to increase MOUD initiation for PEH will be necessary for closing their treatment gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Swartz
- Harvard College, 1 Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Avik Chatterjee
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - David Cutler
- Department of Economics, Harvard University, 1805 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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10
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Andrews CM, Hinds OM, Lozano-Rojas F, Besmann WL, Abraham AJ, Grogan CM, Silverman AF. State Funding For Substance Use Disorder Treatment Declined In The Wake Of Medicaid Expansion. Health Aff (Millwood) 2023; 42:981-990. [PMID: 37406236 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The US continues to grapple with an escalating epidemic of opioid-related overdose and mortality. State funds, which are the second-largest source of public funding for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and prevention, play a critically important role in responding to this crisis. Despite their importance, little is known about how these funds are allocated and how they have changed over time, particularly within the context of Medicaid expansion. In this study we assessed trends in state funds during the period 2010-19, using difference-in-differences regression and event history models. Our findings reveal dramatic variation in state funding across states, from a low of $0.61 per capita in Arizona to a high of $51.11 per capita in Wyoming in 2019. Moreover, state funding declined during the period after Medicaid expansion by an average of $9.95 million in expansion states (relative to nonexpansion states), especially in states that expanded eligibility under Republican-controlled legislatures, where it declined by an average of $15.94 million. Medicaid substitution strategies, which, in effect, shift some of the financial burden for financing SUD treatment from the state to the federal level, may erode resources for broader system-level efforts that are urgently needed in the midst of the opioid epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Andrews
- Christina M. Andrews , University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
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Kroelinger CD, Ellick KL, Levecke M, Rice ME, Mueller T, Akbarali S, Pliska E, Ko JY, Cox S, Barfield WD. Assessing Sustainability of State-Led Action Plans for the Opioid Use Disorder, Maternal Outcomes, and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Initiative Learning Community, 2018-2021. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2023; 32:503-512. [PMID: 37159557 PMCID: PMC10563031 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective(s): The opioid crisis affects the health and health care of pregnant and postpartum people and infants prenatally exposed to substances. A Learning Community (LC) among 15 states was implemented to improve services for these populations. States drafted action plans with goals, strategies, and activities. Materials and Methods: Qualitative data from action plans were analyzed to assess how reported activities aligned with focus areas each year. Year 2 focus areas were compared with year 1 to identify shifts or expansion of activities. States self-assessed progress at the LC closing meeting, reported goal completion, barriers and facilitators affecting goal completion, and sustainment strategies. Results: In year 2, many states included activities focused on access to and coordination of quality services (13 of 15 states) and provider awareness and training (11 of 15). Among 12 states participating in both years of the LC, 11 expanded activities to include at least one additional focus area, adding activities in financing and coverage of services (n = 6); consumer awareness and education (n = 5); or ethical, legal, and social considerations (n = 4). Of the 39 goals developed by states, 54% were completed, and of those not completed, 94% had ongoing activities. Barriers to goal completion included competing priorities and pandemic-related constraints, whereas facilitators involving use of the LC as a forum for information-sharing and leadership-supported goal completion. Sustainability strategies were continued provider training and partnership with Perinatal Quality Collaboratives. Conclusion: State LC participation supported sustainment of activities to improve health and health care for pregnant and postpartum people with opioid use disorder and infants prenatally exposed to substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlan D. Kroelinger
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Promotion and Health Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kecia L. Ellick
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Madison Levecke
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Marion E. Rice
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Trisha Mueller
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Promotion and Health Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sanaa Akbarali
- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, Virginia, USA
| | - Ellen Pliska
- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, Virginia, USA
| | - Jean Y. Ko
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Promotion and Health Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shanna Cox
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Promotion and Health Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Wanda D. Barfield
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Promotion and Health Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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12
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Ortega A. Medicaid Expansion and mental health treatment: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 32:755-806. [PMID: 36480355 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This study uses a difference-in-differences design within an event-study framework to examine how state decisions to expand Medicaid following the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affected mental health treatment. The findings suggest that expansion states experienced increased admissions to mental health treatment facilities and Medicaid-reimbursed prescriptions for medications used to treat common forms of mental illness. The results also indicate an increase in admissions with trauma, anxiety, conduct, and depression disorders. There is also suggestive evidence of an increase in the number of mental health treatment facilities accepting Medicaid as a form of payment. Lastly, as with previous studies, I find weak evidence of a decrease in suicides in Medicaid expansion states. These findings highlight the vital role of the ACA in providing access to mental health treatment for low-income Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Ortega
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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13
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Huang H, Zhu X, Ullrich F, MacKinney AC, Mueller K. The impact of Medicare shared savings program participation on hospital financial performance: An event-study analysis. Health Serv Res 2023; 58:116-127. [PMID: 36214129 PMCID: PMC9836956 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of hospitals' participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) on their financial performance. DATA SOURCES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Cost Reports and MSSP Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) Provider-Level Research Identifiable File from 2011 to 2018. STUDY DESIGN We used an event-study design to estimate the temporal effects of MSSP participation on hospital financial outcomes and compared within-hospital changes over time between MSSP and non-MSSP hospitals while controlling for hospital and year fixed effects and organizational and service-area characteristics. The following financial outcomes were evaluated: outpatient revenue, inpatient revenue, net patient revenue, Medicare revenue, operating margin, inpatient revenue share, Medicare revenue share, and allowance and discount rate. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Secondary data linked at the hospital level. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Controlling for trends in non-MSSP hospitals, MSSP participation was associated with differential increases in net patient revenue by $3.28 million (p < 0.001), $3.20 million (p < 0.01), and $4.20 million (p < 0.01) in the second, third, and fourth year and beyond after joining MSSP, respectively. Medicare revenue differentially increased by $1.50 million (p < 0.05), $2.24 million (p < 0.05), and $4.47 million (p < 0.05) in the first, second, and fourth year and beyond. Inpatient revenue share differentially increased by 0.29% (p < 0.05) in the second year and 0.44% (p < 0.05) in the fourth year and beyond. Medicare revenue share differentially increased by 0.17% (p < 0.01), 0.25% (p < 0.01), 0.32% (p < 0.01), and 0.41% (p < 0.01) in consecutive years following MSSP participation. MSSP participation was associated with 0.33% (p < 0.05) and 0.39% (p < 0.05) differential reduction in allowance and discount rate in the second and third years. CONCLUSIONS MSSP participation was associated with differential increases in net patient revenue, Medicare revenue, inpatient revenue share, and Medicare revenue share, and a differential reduction in allowance and discount rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Huang
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of Kentucky College of Public HealthLexingtonKentuckyUSA
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of Iowa College of Public HealthIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Xi Zhu
- Department of Health Policy and ManagementUCLA Fielding School of Public HealthLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Fred Ullrich
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of Iowa College of Public HealthIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - A. Clinton MacKinney
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of Iowa College of Public HealthIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Keith Mueller
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of Iowa College of Public HealthIowa CityIowaUSA
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14
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Chang JE, Cronin CE, Lindenfeld Z, Pagán JA, Franz B. Association of Medicaid expansion and 1115 waivers for substance use disorders with hospital provision of opioid use disorder services: a cross sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:87. [PMID: 36703146 PMCID: PMC9877490 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09035-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid-related hospitalizations have risen dramatically, placing hospitals at the frontlines of the opioid epidemic. Medicaid expansion and 1115 waivers for substance use disorders (SUDs) are two key policies aimed at expanding access to care, including opioid use disorder (OUD) services. Yet, little is known about the relationship between these policies and the availability of hospital based OUD programs. The aim of this study is to determine whether state Medicaid expansion and adoption of 1115 waivers for SUDs are associated with hospital provision of OUD programs. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of a random sample of hospitals (n = 457) from the American Hospital Association's 2015 American Hospital Directory, compiled with the most recent publicly available community health needs assessment (2015-2018). RESULTS Controlling for hospital characteristics, overdose burden, and socio-demographic characteristics, both Medicaid policies were associated with hospital adoption of several OUD programs. Hospitals in Medicaid expansion states had significantly higher odds of implementing any program related to SUDs (OR: 1.740; 95% CI: 1.032-2.934) as well as some specific activities such as programs for OUD treatment (OR: 1.955; 95% CI: 1.245-3.070) and efforts to address social determinants of health (OR: 6.787; 95% CI: 1.308-35.20). State 1115 waivers for SUDs were not significantly associated with any hospital-based SUD activities. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid expansion was associated with several hospital programs for addressing OUD. The differential availability of hospital-based OUD programs may indicate an added layer of disadvantage for low-income patients with SUD living in non-expansion states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Eun Chang
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Public Health Policy and Management, School of Global Public Health, New York University, 726 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 USA
| | - Cory E. Cronin
- grid.20627.310000 0001 0668 7841College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 USA
| | - Zoe Lindenfeld
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Public Health Policy and Management, School of Global Public Health, New York University, 726 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 USA
| | - José A. Pagán
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Public Health Policy and Management, School of Global Public Health, New York University, 726 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 USA
| | - Berkeley Franz
- grid.20627.310000 0001 0668 7841Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 USA
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15
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Bullinger LR, Gopalan M, Lombardi CM. Impacts of Publicly Funded Health Insurance for Adults on Children's Academic Achievement . SOUTHERN ECONOMIC JOURNAL 2023; 89:860-884. [PMID: 38845841 PMCID: PMC11156232 DOI: 10.1002/soej.12614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Empirical evidence demonstrates that publicly funded adult health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had positive effects on low-income adults. We examine whether the ACA's Medicaid expansions influenced child development and family functioning in low-income households. We use a difference-in-differences framework exploiting cross-state policy variation and focusing on children in low-income families from a nationally representative, longitudinal sample followed from kindergarten to fifth grade. The ACA Medicaid expansions improved children's reading test scores by approximately 2 percent (0.04 SD). Potential mechanisms for these effects within families are more time spent reading at home, less parental help with homework, and eating dinner together. We find no effects on children's math test scores or socioemotional skills.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maithreyi Gopalan
- Department of Education Policy Studies, Pennsylvania State University
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16
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Tomko C, Olfson M, Mojtabai R. Gaps and barriers in drug and alcohol treatment following implementation of the affordable care act. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2022; 5:100115. [PMID: 36644223 PMCID: PMC9835109 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Background This study examines changes in the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment gap and barriers to treatment for low-income adults following Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation. Methods National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data were pooled to assess pre-ACA (2009-2013) and post-ACA (2015-2019) implementation. The sample (n = 44,622) included respondents 18-64 years old, income <200% federal poverty level, and meeting SUD criteria for abuse or dependence of heroin, powdered cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, or alcohol. The primary outcome was NSDUH-defined past-year illicit drug or alcohol treatment gap (needing but not receiving SUD specialty treatment). A secondary analysis assessed barriers to SUD treatment including insurance-related barriers, stigma, barriers to access, priority of treatment, and no interest in stopping substance use. Results Ninety-three percent of respondents reported a drug or alcohol treatment gap before and after ACA implementation. No interest in stopping use was the greatest barrier (40%), followed by insurance-related barriers (39%) and stigma (20%). After adjusting for covariates, results did not show a significant change in SUD treatment gap post-ACA compared to pre-ACA (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.97, 1.28, p = 0.13). Compared to pre-ACA, odds of reporting stigma-related barriers (aOR=1.66, 95% CI=1.17, 2.37, p = 0.01) and access-related barriers (aOR=1.79, 95% CI=1.34, 2.38, p < 0.001) increased post-ACA. Conclusions There was no significant change in the prevalence of SUD treatment gap after ACA implementation. Increasing access to SUD treatment for low-income individuals will require intervening at multiple socioecological levels beyond reforming treatment financing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Tomko
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 161, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Corresponding author. (C. Tomko)
| | - Mark Olfson
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, New York NY 10032, USA,Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ramin Mojtabai
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 161, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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17
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Shearer RD, Winkelman TNA, Khatri UG. State level variation in substance use treatment admissions among criminal legal-referred individuals. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 240:109651. [PMID: 36228467 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals involved in the criminal legal system face unique challenges to accessing substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, yet state-level variation in referrals for treatment remains largely unknown. To address disparities in the overdose crisis among individuals with criminal legal involvement, it is important to understand variation in SUD treatment across states. METHODS We conducted a retrospective comparison of substance use treatment referrals from the criminal legal system and other sources across participating states. Using data from the 2018-2019 Treatment Episode Dataset-Admissions, we characterized treatment referral rates from the criminal legal system, the substances most commonly leading to treatment, and rates of treatment with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) across states. RESULTS Across all states, criminal legal referral rates were higher than non-criminal legal rates. Criminal-legal referral rates, adjusted for state overdose deaths, were highest in the Northeast and Midwest. Methamphetamine use was the most common substance leading to treatment referral from the criminal legal system in 24 states while opioid use was the most common reason for non-criminal legal referrals in 34 states. In over half the states analyzed, fewer than 10% of opioid treatment referrals from the criminal legal system received MOUD. In almost all states, MOUD was more common in treatment referred from non-criminal legal settings. CONCLUSION State-specific policies and practices shape drug policy and the SUD treatment landscape for people with criminal legal involvement. Standards and ongoing monitoring for substance use treatment referrals from the criminal-legal system should be considered by federal agencies charged with addressing the ongoing overdose crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley D Shearer
- University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 420 Delaware St SE, Mayo Building B681, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Health, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Lab, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 701 Park Ave., Suite PP7.700, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA
| | - Tyler N A Winkelman
- Health, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Lab, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 701 Park Ave., Suite PP7.700, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, 716 S 7th St, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA
| | - Utsha G Khatri
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1620, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Health Equity Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1077, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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18
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Mukhopadhyay S. The effects of medicaid expansion on job loss induced mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. SSM Popul Health 2022; 20:101279. [PMCID: PMC9617676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented level of job losses in the U.S., where job loss is also associated with the loss of health insurance. This paper uses data from the 2020 Household Pulse Survey (HPS) and difference-in-difference (DD) regressions to estimate the effect of Medicaid expansion on anxiety and depression associated with job loss. Estimates show that the respondents who live in expansion states are 96.6% more likely to have Medicaid coverage, and 14.2% less likely to have moderate to severe mental distress following their job loss compared to those living in non-expansion states. The corresponding numbers associated with a family member's job loss are 36.3% and 7.6%, respectively. Next, we explore the mechanisms which suggest that the economic security provided by Medicaid is as important (if not more) as the access to or utilization of healthcare. The difference-in-difference-in-difference (DDD) estimates using just above and below the Medicare eligibility age (65) confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Economics (MS – 030), University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
- IZA, Bonn, Germany
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19
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Phelps MS, Osman IH, Robertson CE, Shlafer RJ. Beyond "pains" and "gains": untangling the health consequences of probation. HEALTH & JUSTICE 2022; 10:29. [PMID: 36181641 PMCID: PMC9525231 DOI: 10.1186/s40352-022-00193-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on the health consequences of criminal legal system contact has increasingly looked beyond imprisonment to understand how more routine forms of surveillance and punishment shape wellbeing. One of these sites is probation, the largest form of supervision in the U.S. Drawing on an interview study with 162 adults on probation in Hennepin County, MN, in 2019, we map how adults on probation understand the consequences of supervision for their health and how these self-reported health changes correlate with individual, social, and structural circumstances. RESULTS Roughly half of participants described their health as having improved since starting probation, while the remainder were split between no change and worsened health. Examining both closed-ended survey questions and open-ended interview prompts, we find that the "gains" of supervision were correlated with substance use treatment (often mandated), reduced drug and alcohol use, increased housing and food security, and perceptions of support from their probation officer. However, these potentially health-promoting mechanisms were attenuated for many participants by the significant "pains" of supervision, including the threat of revocation, which sometimes impacted mental health. In addition, participants in the most precarious circumstances were often unable to meet the demands of supervision, resulting in further punishment. CONCLUSIONS Moving beyond the "pains" and "gains" framework, we argue that this analysis provides empirical evidence for the importance of moving social services outside of punishing criminal legal system interventions. People with criminal legal contact often come from deeply marginalized socio-economic contexts and are then expected to meet the rigorous demands of supervision with little state aid for redressing structural barriers. Access to essential services, including healthcare, food, and housing, without the threat of further criminal legal sanctions, can better prevent and respond to many of the behaviors that are currently criminalized in the U.S. legal system, including substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Phelps
- Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, 909 Social Sciences Building, 267 19th Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Ingie H Osman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Christopher E Robertson
- Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, 909 Social Sciences Building, 267 19th Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Rebecca J Shlafer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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20
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Shah N, Velez FF, Colman S, Kauffman L, Ruetsch C, Anastassopoulos K, Maricich Y. Real-World Reductions in Healthcare Resource Utilization over 6 Months in Patients with Substance Use Disorders Treated with a Prescription Digital Therapeutic. Adv Ther 2022; 39:4146-4156. [PMID: 35819569 PMCID: PMC9273919 DOI: 10.1007/s12325-022-02215-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect approximately 40.3 million people in the USA, yet only approximately 19% receive evidence-based treatment each year. reSET® is a prescription digital therapeutic (PDT) and the only FDA-authorized treatment for patients with cocaine, cannabis, and stimulant use disorders. This study evaluated real-world healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs 6 months after initiation of reSET in patients with SUD. METHODS A retrospective analysis of HealthVerity PrivateSource20 data compared the 6-month incidence of all-cause hospital facility encounters and clinician services in patients treated with reSET (re-SET cohort) before (pre-index period) and after (post-index period) reSET initiation (index). Incidence was compared using incidence rate ratios (IRR). HCRU-related costs were also assessed. RESULTS The sample included 101 patients (median age 37 years, 50.5% female, 54.5% Medicaid-insured). A statistically significant decrease of 50% was observed in overall hospital encounters from pre-index to post-index (IRR 0.50; 95% CI 0.37-0.67; P < 0.001), which included inpatient stays (56% decrease; IRR 0.44; 95% CI 0.26-0.76; P = 0.003), partial hospitalizations (57% decrease; IRR 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.88; P = 0.021), and emergency department visits (45% decrease; IRR 0.55; 95% CI 0.38-0.80; P < 0.004). Additionally, some clinician services declined significantly including pathology and laboratory services: other (54% decrease; IRR 0.46; 95% CI 0.28-0.76; P = 0.003); pathology and laboratory services: drug assays prior to opioid medication prescription (37% decrease; IRR 0.63; 95% CI 0.41-0.96; P = 0.031); and alcohol and drug abuse: medication services (46% decrease; IRR 0.54; 95% CI 0.41-0.70; P < 0.001). Reductions in facility-encounters drove 6-month reSET per-patient cost reductions of $3591 post-index compared to pre-index. CONCLUSIONS Use of reSET by patients with SUD is associated with durable reductions in HCRU and lower healthcare costs over 6 months compared to the 6 months before PDT treatment, after adjusting for covariates, providing an economic benefit to the healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neel Shah
- Pear Therapeutics, Inc. (US), Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Samuel Colman
- Market Access Consulting, Labcorp Drug Development, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Laura Kauffman
- Market Access Consulting, Labcorp Drug Development, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
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21
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Knowles MT. How access to addictive drugs affects the supply of substance abuse treatment: Evidence from Medicare Part D. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2022; 31:1649-1675. [PMID: 35607291 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This paper documents how substance abuse treatment (SAT) providers and services respond to increases in population-level opioid addiction. I do this by exploiting the implementation of Medicare Part D as an exogenous increase in the availability of prescription opioids. Starting in 2006, states with higher shares of the population eligible for Medicare Part D experienced increases in residential and hospital inpatient SAT facilities, beds dedicated to SAT, and SAT facilities offering medication-assisted treatment, relative to states with lower shares. These results suggest that the supply of SAT in the United States is capable of responding significantly to changes in demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Knowles
- Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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22
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Luo Q, Moghtaderi A, Markus A, Dor A. Financial impacts of the Medicaid expansion on community health centers. Health Serv Res 2022; 57:634-643. [PMID: 34658030 PMCID: PMC9108051 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.13897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the impacts of the Medicaid expansion on revenues, costs, assets, and liabilities of federally funded community health centers. DATA SOURCES We combined data from the Uniform Data System, Internal Revenue Service nonprofit tax returns, and county-level characteristics from the Census Bureau. Our final dataset included 5841 center-year observations. STUDY DESIGN We used difference-in-differences model to estimate the fiscal impacts of the Medicaid expansion on community health centers. We employed event study models, state-specific trend models, and placebo law tests as robustness checks. DATA COLLECTION METHODS Not applicable. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS On the revenue side, we found a $2.08 million relative increase (p = 0.002) in Medicaid revenues, offset by a $0.44 million decrease (p = 0.015) in total grants among community health centers in expansion states compared with centers in non-expansion states. On the expenditure side, we found a large but not statistically significant $0.98 million relative increase (p = 0.201) in total expenditures among centers in expansion states. Uncompensated care for health centers in expansion states decreased by $1.19 million (p < 0.001) relative to their counterparts in non-expansion states. CONCLUSIONS Community health centers in expansion states benefited from the increased, stable revenue stream from Medicaid expansions. While Medicaid revenue increased as a result of the policy, we find no major evidence of substitution away from other revenue lines, with one notable exception (i.e., substitution away from state and local government grants). From a policy perspective, these results are encouraging as the Biden Administration starts to implement the safety-net enhancements from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and as more non-expansion states are considering opting into Medicaid expansions. It is anticipated that these added revenue streams will help to sustain health centers in the delivery of health care services to the underserved population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Luo
- Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute of Public HealthThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute of Public HealthThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Ali Moghtaderi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute of Public HealthThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Anne Markus
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute of Public HealthThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Avi Dor
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute of Public HealthThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
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23
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Abraham AJ, Lawler EC, Harris SJ, Bagwell Adams G, Bradford WD. Spillover of Medicaid Expansion to Prescribing of Opioid Use Disorder Medications in Medicare Part D. Psychiatr Serv 2022; 73:418-424. [PMID: 34407628 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The authors examined whether there were positive spillovers in opioid use disorder medication prescribing to Medicare Part D beneficiaries in Medicaid expansion states. Although prior studies have shown several positive benefits of Medicaid expansion for Americans with opioid use disorder, research has not examined potential spillovers to Medicare beneficiaries who have been hit hard by the opioid crisis. METHODS Prescribing data were taken from the Medicare Part D Prescription Public Use File (2010-2017). A difference-in-differences linear regression framework was used to identify spillovers in prescribing of buprenorphine and injectable naltrexone to Medicare Part D beneficiaries in Medicaid expansion states. Three sets of dependent variables measured medication prescribing at the county-year level (N=24,850). All models included county and year fixed effects, with standard errors clustered at the state level to address within-state serial correlation. RESULTS Medicaid expansion was associated with an increase in the probability of a county having an injectable naltrexone provider (p<0.01). After expansion, the number of buprenorphine providers in expansion states increased by 5.6% (p<0.05), and the number of injectable naltrexone providers increased by 3.3% (p<0.01), relative to nonexpansion states. Expansion was associated with a 23.1% (p<0.01) increase in the number of daily doses of injectable naltrexone, relative to nonexpansion states. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid expansion states may be better equipped to address the opioid crisis because of direct benefits to Medicaid beneficiaries and availability of opioid use disorder medications for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. However, additional efforts are likely needed to close the opioid use disorder treatment gap for Medicare beneficiaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Abraham
- School of Public and International Affairs (Abraham, Lawler, Bradford) and College of Public Health (Bagwell Adams), University of Georgia, Athens; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Harris)
| | - Emily C Lawler
- School of Public and International Affairs (Abraham, Lawler, Bradford) and College of Public Health (Bagwell Adams), University of Georgia, Athens; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Harris)
| | - Samantha J Harris
- School of Public and International Affairs (Abraham, Lawler, Bradford) and College of Public Health (Bagwell Adams), University of Georgia, Athens; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Harris)
| | - Grace Bagwell Adams
- School of Public and International Affairs (Abraham, Lawler, Bradford) and College of Public Health (Bagwell Adams), University of Georgia, Athens; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Harris)
| | - W David Bradford
- School of Public and International Affairs (Abraham, Lawler, Bradford) and College of Public Health (Bagwell Adams), University of Georgia, Athens; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Harris)
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24
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Shakya S, Harris SJ. Medicaid expansion and opioid supply policies to address the opioid overdose crisis. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2022; 3:100042. [PMID: 36845983 PMCID: PMC9948913 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background: The opioid overdose crisis remains of critical concern after historic increases in overdose mortality in the United States between 2020 and 2021. Improving access to buprenorphine -a partial opioid agonist and one of three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment- and reducing inappropriate opioid prescriptions may help curb mortality. Here, we examined the impact of Medicaid expansion and pain management clinic laws on opioid prescription rates and buprenorphine availability. Methods: We examined both retail opioid prescriptions per 100 persons in the state population using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and data on buprenorphine distributions in kilograms per 100,000 persons in the state population from the Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System database. We employed difference-in-difference frameworks to estimate the impact of Medicaid expansion on buprenorphine access and retail opioid prescription rates. Models considered three separate treatment variables: Medicaid expansion, pain management clinic ("pill mill") laws, and the interaction of Medicaid expansion and pain management clinic laws. Results: Findings showed that Medicaid expansion was associated with increased access to buprenorphine in expansion states that also employed more stringent supply-side policies, including pain management clinic laws, relative to states that did not implement policies targeting the over-supply of prescription opioids over the same time period. Conclusions. Together, Medicaid expansion and policies limiting inappropriate opioid prescriptions show promise for improving the accessibility of buprenorphine treatment for OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shishir Shakya
- Department of Economics, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Samantha J. Harris
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA,Corresponding author.
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25
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Li C, Najarian M, Halpern MT. Impact of Medicaid expansion and state-level racial diversity on breast cancer endocrine therapy prescriptions: A quasi-experimental, comparative interrupted time series study. J Cancer Policy 2022; 31:100317. [PMID: 35559873 PMCID: PMC9106970 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2021.100317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To determine whether Medicaid expansion impacted racially more diverse states similarly as racially less diverse states in endocrine therapy (ET) prescriptions. METHODS A quasi-experimental, comparative interrupted time series study of Medicaid-financed ET prescriptions from 2011 to 2018 Medicaid State Drug Utilization Database. The exposures were state's Medicaid expansion and racial diversity status. The outcome was state's quarterly number ET prescriptions per 100,000 non-elderly adult females (NAFs). RESULTS During the year of expansion, ET prescriptions increased sharply in expansion states but remained flat in nonexpansion states (slope: 11.96 vs. 0.43 prescriptions per 100,000 NAFs per quarter, p < 0.001). After that, the slopes were similar between expansion and nonexpansion states (1.75 vs. 0.24, p = 0.057) but the level of prescriptions in expansion states maintained at a higher level. When stratified by state's racial diversity status, the slope of increase in the first year was sharper for raciallymore diverse expansion states (16.49, p = 0.008) than racially less diverse expansion states (8.46, p < 0.001), resulting in significant differences in ET prescriptions between racially more diverse expansion and nonexpansion states but largely nonsignificant differences between racially less diverse expansion and nonexpansion states. CONCLUSIONS Although Medicaid expansion significantly increased ET prescriptions in expansion vs. nonexpansion states, this difference was only observed among raciallymore diverse states. Racially more diverse nonexpansion states had the lowest rates of ET prescriptions and the gaps from racially more diverse expansion states significantly widened after expansion. POLICY SUMMARY Our study shows that, before expansion, racially more diverse nonexpansion states had the lowest rates of ET prescriptions. After expansion, the gaps between these states and racially more diverse expansion states significantly widened. These results highlighted the importance of continuing to examine the health impacts of states not expanding Medicaid, including the health equity impacts for low income racial/ethnic minority populations with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghui Li
- Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation of Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street Slot 522, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States.
| | - Matthew Najarian
- Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation of Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street Slot 522, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States.
| | - Michael T Halpern
- Healthcare Assessment Research Branch, Healthcare Delivery Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Dr., Room 3E342, Bethesda, MD 20892-9762, United States.
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Cochran G, Cole ES, Sharbaugh M, Nagy D, Gordon AJ, Gellad WF, Pringle J, Bear T, Warwick J, Drake C, Chang CCH, DiDomenico E, Kelley D, Donohue J. Provider and Patient-panel Characteristics Associated With Initial Adoption and Sustained Prescribing of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder. J Addict Med 2022; 16:e87-e96. [PMID: 33973921 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Limited information is available regarding provider- and patient panel-level factors associated with primary care provider (PCP) adoption/prescribing of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). METHODS We assessed a retrospective cohort from 2015 to 2018 within the Pennsylvania Medicaid Program. Participants included PCPs who were Medicaid providers, with no history of MOUD provision, and who treated ≥10 Medicaid enrollees annually. We assessed initial MOUD adoption, defined as an index buprenorphine/buprenorphine-naloxone or oral/extended release naltrexone fill and sustained prescribing, defined as ≥1 MOUD prescription(s) for 3 consecutive quarters from the PCP. Independent variables included provider- and patient panel-level characteristics. RESULTS We identified 113 rural and 782 urban PCPs who engaged in initial adoption and 36 rural and 288 urban PCPs who engaged in sustained prescribing. Rural/urban PCPs who issued increasingly larger numbers of antidepressant and antipsychotic medication prescriptions had greater odds of initial adoption and sustained prescribing (P < 0.05) compared to those that did not prescribe these medications. Further, each additional patient out of 100 with opioid use disorder diagnosed before MOUD adoption increased the adjusted odds for initial adoption 2% to 4% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.08) and sustained prescribing by 4% to 7% (95% CI = 1.01-1.08). New Medicaid providers in rural areas were 2.52 (95% CI = 1.04-6.11) and in urban areas were 2.66 (95% CI = 1.94, 3.64) more likely to engage in initial MOUD adoption compared to established PCPs. CONCLUSIONS MOUD prescribing adoption was concentrated among PCPs prescribing mental health medications, caring for those with OUD, and new Medicaid providers. These results should be leveraged to test/implement interventions targeting MOUD adoption among PCPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Cochran
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, City, UT (GC, AJG), Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (ESC, MS, DN, TB, CD, JD), School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (WFG, C-CH), Program Evaluation Research Unit, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (JP, JW), School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (JP), Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Harrisburg, PA (ED), Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Harrisburg, PA (DK)
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Ellyson AM, Grooms J, Ortega A. Flipping the script: The effects of opioid prescription monitoring on specialty-specific provider behavior. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2022; 31:297-341. [PMID: 34773311 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mandatory access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (MA-PDMPs) aim to curb the epidemic at a common point of initiation of use, the prescription. However, there is recent concern about whether opioid policies have been too restrictive and reduced appropriate access to patients with the most need for opioid pharmaceuticals. We assess MA-PDMP's effect on specialty-specific opioid prescribing behavior of Medicare providers. Our findings suggest that requiring providers to query a PDMP differentially affects opioid prescribing across provider specialties. We find a three to four percent decrease in prescribing for Primary Care and Internal Medicine providers. This result is driven by healthcare providers at the lower end of the prescribing distribution. There is also suggestive evidence of an increase in opioid use disorder treatment drugs prescribed by these same providers. We also find no evidence for the hypothesis that MA-PDMPs restrict prescribing by providers who treat patients with potentially high levels of pain, few drug substitutes, or urgency for pain treatment (e.g., Oncology/Palliative care). This result is not dependent on whether a state provides exemptions for these providers. Our results indicate that MA-PDMPs may help close provider-patient informational gaps while retaining a provider's ability to supply these drugs to patients with a need for opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Ellyson
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jevay Grooms
- Department of Economics, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Alberto Ortega
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Mulia N, Lui CK, Bensley KM, Subbaraman MS. Effects of Medicaid expansion on alcohol and opioid treatment admissions in U.S. racial/ethnic groups. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 231:109242. [PMID: 35007958 PMCID: PMC9009866 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive drinking and opioid misuse exact a high toll on U.S. lives and differentially affect U.S. racial/ethnic groups in exposure and resultant harms. Increasing access to specialty treatment is an important policy strategy to mitigate this, particularly for lower-income and racial/ethnic minority persons who face distinctive barriers to care. We examined whether the U.S. Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion improved treatment utilization in the overall population and for Black, Latino, and White Americans separately. METHODS We analyzed total and Medicaid-insured alcohol and opioid treatment admissions per 10,000 adult, state residents using 2010-2016 data from SAMHSA's Treatment Episode Data Set (N = 20 states), with difference-in-difference models accounting for state fixed effects and time-varying state demographic characteristics, treatment need, and treatment supply. RESULTS Total treatment admission rates in the overall population declined for alcohol and remained roughly flat for opioids in both expansion and non-expansion states from 2010 through 2016. By contrast, estimated Medicaid-insured alcohol and opioid treatment rates rose in expansion states and decreased in non-expansion states following Medicaid expansion in 2014. The latter results were found for alcohol treatment in the total population and in each racial/ethnic group, as well as for Black and White Americans for opioid treatment. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid expansion was associated with greater specialty treatment entry at a time when alcohol and opioid treatment rates were declining or flat. Findings underscore benefits of expanding Medicaid eligibility to increase treatment utilization for diverse racial/ethnic groups, but also suggest an emerging treatment disparity between lower-income Americans in expansion and non-expansion states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Mulia
- Alcohol Research Group, 6001 Shellmound St., Suite 405, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
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Black clients in expansion states who used opioids were more likely to access medication for opioid use disorder after ACA implementation. J Subst Abuse Treat 2022; 133:108533. [PMID: 34218991 PMCID: PMC8664894 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Black people in the United States who use opioids receive less treatment and die from overdoses at higher rates than White people. Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) decreases overdose risk. Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the United States was associated with an increase in MOUD. To what extent racial disparity exists in MOUD following ACA implementation remains unclear. Using a national sample of people seeking treatment for opioids (clients), we compared changes in MOUD after the ACA to determine whether implementation was associated with increased MOUD for Black clients relative to White clients. METHODS We identified 878,110 first episodes for clients with opioids as primary concern from SAMHDA's Treatment Episodes Dataset-Admissions (TEDS-A; 2007-2018). We performed descriptive and logistic regression analyses to estimate odds of MOUD for Black and White clients by Medicaid expansion status. We interacted ACA implementation with racial group and performed subpopulation analyses for Medicaid enrollees and criminal justice-referred clients. RESULTS In expansion states post-ACA, MOUD increased from 33.6% to 51.3% for White clients and from 36.2% to 61.7% for Black clients. Pre-ACA, Black clients were less likely than White clients to use MOUD (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.88, 99th Confidence Interval (CI) = [0.85, 0.91]), and post-ACA, the change in odds of MOUD did not differ. Criminal justice-referred clients experienced less of a change in odds of MOUD among Black clients than among White clients (aOR = 0.74, CI = [0.62, 0.89]). Among Medicaid-insured clients, the change in odds of MOUD among Black clients was larger (aOR = 1.16, CI = [1.03, 1.30]). In the non-expansion states before 2014, Black clients were less likely to receive MOUD (aOR = 0.86, CI = [0.77, 0.95]) than White clients. After 2014, the change in odds of MOUD increased more for Black clients relative to White clients (aOR = 1.24, CI = [1.07, 1.44]). We did not find significant changes in MOUD for clients referred through the criminal justice system or with Medicaid. CONCLUSION The ACA was associated with increased use of MOUD among Black clients and reduction in treatment disparity between Black and White clients. For criminal justice-referred Black clients, disparities in MOUD persist. Black clients with Medicaid in expansion states had the greatest reduction in disparities.
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Wehby GL. The Impact Of Household Health Insurance Coverage Gains On Children's Achievement In Iowa: Evidence From The ACA. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:35-43. [PMID: 34982630 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Low family income is associated with worse child academic achievement. Little is known about how health insurance expansions affect children's achievement in low-income households. This study examined the effects of the Affordable Care Act's coverage expansions primarily for Medicaid and Marketplace enrollment, beginning in 2014, on children's academic achievement in Iowa. The study employed a unique linkage of birth certificates and data on standardized school tests for children in Iowa and took advantage of differences in uninsurance rates across areas in the state before the ACA insurance expansions. There is evidence that the ACA expansions beginning in 2014 were associated with higher reading scores after three years for children born to mothers with a high school education or less. There is no consistent evidence of an effect on math scores. Overall, these findings suggest broad spillover benefits from health insurance expansions to the well-being and development of children in low-income households that should be part of the continuing policy debate surrounding state and national health insurance reforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- George L Wehby
- George L. Wehby , University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, and National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Lombardi CM, Bullinger LR, Gopalan M. Better Late Than Never: Effects of Late ACA Medicaid Expansions for Parents on Family Health-Related Financial Well-Being. INQUIRY : A JOURNAL OF MEDICAL CARE ORGANIZATION, PROVISION AND FINANCING 2022; 59:469580221133215. [PMID: 36354062 PMCID: PMC9661594 DOI: 10.1177/00469580221133215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 09/08/2024]
Abstract
Public health insurance eligibility for low-income adults has improved adult economic well-being. But whether parental public health insurance eligibility has spillover effects on children's health insurance coverage and family health-related financial well-being is less understood. We use the 2016 to 2020 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) to estimate the effects of Medicaid expansions through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for parents on child health insurance coverage, parents' employment decisions due to child health, and family health-related financial well-being. We compare children in low-income families in states that expanded Medicaid for parents after 2015 to states that never expanded in a difference-in-differences framework. We find that these expansions were associated with increases in children's public health insurance coverage by 5.5 percentage points and reductions in private coverage by 5 percentage points. We additionally find that parents were less likely to avoid changing jobs for health insurance reasons and children's medical expenses were less likely to exceed $1000. We find no evidence that the expansions affected children's dual coverage and uninsurance. Our estimates are robust to falsification and sensitivity analyzes. Our findings also suggest that benefits on children's medical expenses are concentrated in the families with the greatest financial need.
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Illegal Drug Use and Risk of Hearing Loss in the United States: A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182211945. [PMID: 34831700 PMCID: PMC8622951 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of illegal drugs may be a risk factor of hearing loss. However, very few studies with large sample size have investigated the relationship between illegal drug use and hearing loss. Therefore, to evaluate the association between illegal drug use and hearing loss, this cross-sectional population-based study collected data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011. The study included 1772 participants aged 20 to 59 years who underwent the Drug Use Questionnaire and Audiometry Examination. Of the 1772 participants in this study, 865 were men (48.8%) and 497 were illegal drug users. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 40.0 (11.4) years. After considering age, sex, and comorbidities, the participants who used illegal drugs were found to have higher risks of high-frequency hearing loss (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.69; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.35–2.10) and overall hearing loss (adjusted OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.36–2.12) as compared with the nonusers. In the second analysis, the participants who used ≥ 2 types of illegal drugs were associated with higher risks of high-frequency hearing loss (adjusted OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.06–2.32) and overall hearing loss (adjusted OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.08–2.37). In the third analysis, cocaine use was associated with increased risks of high-frequency hearing loss (adjusted OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.01–1.77) and overall hearing loss (adjusted OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.04–1.82). The adjusted OR for overall hearing loss in the methamphetamine users was 1.54 (95% CI, 1.05–2.27) as compared with that in the nonusers. This study shows that illegal drug users might have a higher risk of overall hearing loss than nonusers. In addition, the analysis results demonstrated that the more kinds of illegal drugs used, the higher the risk of hearing loss. Further experimental and longitudinal research studies are required to confirm the causal relationship between illegal drug use and hearing loss.
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Dopp AR, Manuel JK, Breslau J, Lodge B, Hurley B, Kase C, Osilla KC. Value of family involvement in substance use disorder treatment: Aligning clinical and financing priorities. J Subst Abuse Treat 2021; 132:108652. [PMID: 34742609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Family members' support (e.g., informational, tangible, emotional) has important and lasting impacts on individuals' recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). Unfortunately, SUD services in the United States do not consistently incorporate patients' family members effectively. One barrier to family involvement in SUD services is the mechanisms through which SUD services in the United States are commonly financed. METHOD Using our recent experiences with developing a group intervention for support persons of patients with opioid use disorder, we illustrate how gaps in feasible financing models limit SUD service systems from effectively implementing and sustaining family services for individuals receiving SUD treatment. DISCUSSION Long-term availability of family-inclusive interventions will require collaboration with payors and health systems. We offer two sets of recommendations for funding family involvement in SUD services; one set of immediately implementable recommendations and other longer-term goals requiring structural changes in SUD service delivery and financing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R Dopp
- RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, United States of America.
| | - Jennifer K Manuel
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 401 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States of America; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 4150 Clement St., San Francisco, CA 94121, United States of America.
| | - Joshua Breslau
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Ave #600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States of America.
| | | | - Brian Hurley
- Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, 313 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States of America.
| | - Courtney Kase
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Ave #600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States of America.
| | - Karen Chan Osilla
- Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Palo Alto, CA 94305, United States of America.
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McClellan C, Moriya A, Simon K. Users of retail medications for opioid use disorders faced high out-of-pocket prescription spending in 2011-2017. J Subst Abuse Treat 2021; 132:108645. [PMID: 34728135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION High out-of-pocket spending has been a barrier to treatment for the estimated 2.0 million Americans suffering from opioid use disorders (OUD). This paper provides national estimates of financial costs faced by the population receiving retail medications for OUD (MOUD). METHODS We used pooled annual data from the 2011-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population in the United States. The sample includes individuals who reported filling a retail prescription for buprenorphine or naltrexone, the two most common medications available from retail pharmacies to treat OUD. The main outcome is out-of-pocket spending of retail MOUD prescriptions per fill and per person. RESULTS Patients with retail MOUD prescriptions spent 3.4 times more out-of-pocket for prescriptions on average than the rest of the U.S. population, with 18.8% of this population paying entirely out-of-pocket for their MOUD prescriptions. Insurance coverage is associated with reduced annual out-of-pocket MOUD expenditures between $316 and $328 per year. CONCLUSIONS Future policies that expand insurance and address out-of-pocket spending on MOUD could increase access to medications among individuals with OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandler McClellan
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Asako Moriya
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
| | - Kosali Simon
- The O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University 1315 East Tenth Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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Does Medicaid expansion influence county health spending? A case of New York counties. HEALTH ECONOMICS POLICY AND LAW 2021; 17:332-347. [PMID: 34607626 DOI: 10.1017/s174413312100030x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the impacts of Medicaid expansion on New York county total health spending and specifics of health spending, including health services, public health facilities and public health administration. Little research considered the financial effect of Medicaid expansion on local governments while well reported are its influences on uninsured rates and health services utilization. New York counties have contributed to health in their boundaries by providing or funding public health services, and supporting a part of the non-federal share of Medicaid expenditures and uncompensated care. Medicaid expansion can reduce the size of county expenditures for health by enrolling more previously uninsured population in the program and offering more generous federal funding for the expanded Medicaid. We offer empirical evidence that Medicaid expansion was associated with reduced county health spending.
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Bullinger LR, Meinhofer A. The Affordable Care Act Increased Medicaid Coverage Among Former Foster Youth. Health Aff (Millwood) 2021; 40:1430-1439. [PMID: 34495723 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Youth aging out of the foster care system in the US are a vulnerable population. When in foster care, youth are eligible for their state's Medicaid program, but they lose eligibility when they age out of foster care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has the potential to address some of the health care needs of former foster youth through the Medicaid eligibility expansion to low-income adults and by extending Medicaid eligibility up to age twenty-six for former foster youth. Using the 2011-18 National Youth in Transition Database, we found that Medicaid expansion increased Medicaid coverage among former foster youth by 10.1 percentage points, and the age extension increased coverage by 3.4 percentage points. There is suggestive evidence of positive spillovers for both policies. Our findings imply that the ACA improved Medicaid coverage among former foster youth, with the largest effects from Medicaid expansion. The modest effects of the Medicaid age extension may imply a need to revise enrollment, recertification, outreach, and eligibility determination processes to further increase Medicaid coverage among former foster youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Rose Bullinger
- Lindsey Rose Bullinger is an assistant professor in the School of Public Policy, Georgia Tech, in Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Angélica Meinhofer
- Angélica Meinhofer is an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York, New York
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Gandhi P, Rouhani S, Park JN, Urquhart GJ, Allen ST, Morales KB, Green TC, Sherman SG. Alternative use of buprenorphine among people who use opioids in three U.S. Cities. Subst Abus 2021; 43:364-370. [PMID: 34214403 PMCID: PMC11216848 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2021.1942395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Background: Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder, yet some persons are concerned with its "alternative use" (i.e., any use unintended by the prescriber). There is limited evidence on the factors associated with alternative use of buprenorphine (AUB); in this study, we examined correlates of recent (past 6 months) AUB. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze survey data from a multi-site, cross-sectional study of people who use drugs (PWUD) (N = 334) in Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; and Providence, Rhode Island. Results: One-fifth (20%) of the sample reported recent AUB. In adjusted analyses, significant negative correlates of AUB were female gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.48, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.24-0.95), recent emergency room visit (aOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23-0.89), and recent injection drug use (aOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19-0.88). Significant positive correlates were alternative use of other prescription opioids (aOR 8.32, 95% CI 4.22-16.38), three or more overdoses in the past year (aOR 3.74, 95% CI 1.53-9.17), recent buprenorphine use as prescribed (aOR 2.50, 95% CI 1.12-5.55), and recent residential rehabilitation treatment (aOR 3.71, 95% CI 1.50-9.16). Conclusions: Structural and behavioral correlates of AUB may help identify PWUD at high risk of overdose with unmet treatment needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyal Gandhi
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Saba Rouhani
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ju Nyeong Park
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Glenna J. Urquhart
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sean T. Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kenneth B. Morales
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Traci C. Green
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
- COBRE on Opioids and Overdose at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI; Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, Heller School of Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Susan G. Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Jayawardhana J. Impact of Medicaid expansion on mental health and substance use related emergency department visits. Subst Abus 2021; 43:356-363. [PMID: 34214399 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2021.1941521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Background: Although Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act reduces uninsurance, little evidence exists on its impact on mental health and substance use (MHSU) related healthcare utilization. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to examine the impact of Medicaid expansion on emergency department visits related to mental health and substance use disorders and to examine its effect on the variation in payer mix. Methods: The study utilizes state-level quarterly emergency department (ED) visit data from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Fast Stats Database, along with state socio-demographic and health policy data for the analysis. A difference-in-differences regression analysis approach was utilized in comparing MHSU-related ED visit data between expansion and non-expansion states from 2006 to 2019 for all visits and by payer mix. Results: Medicaid expansion was associated with additional 0.35 non-Medicare adult MHSU-related ED visits per 1,000 population (p < 0.05) in expansion states compared with non-expansion states. In addition, Medicaid expansion was associated with about 20.4% increase (p < 0.01) in Medicaid-share of MHSU-related ED visits, about 17.4% reduction (p < 0.01) in uninsured-share of MHSU-related ED visits, and about 3% reduction (p < 0.05) in privately-insured share of MHSU-related ED visits in expansion states compared with non-expansion states. Conclusions: The findings indicate that Medicaid expansion was associated with increased MHSU-related ED visits among the Medicaid population and the overall non-Medicare adult population, while it was associated with reductions in MHSU-related ED visits among the uninsured and privately-insured populations in expansion states compared with non-expansion states.
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Saloner B, Maclean JC. Specialty Substance Use Disorder Treatment Admissions Steadily Increased In The Four Years After Medicaid Expansion. Health Aff (Millwood) 2021; 39:453-461. [PMID: 32119615 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion provided insurance coverage to many low-income adults with substance use disorders, but it is unclear whether this led to more people receiving treatment. We used the Treatment Episode Data Set and a difference-in-differences approach to compare annual rates of specialty treatment admissions in expansion versus nonexpansion states in the period 2010-17. We found that admissions to treatment steadily increased in the four years after Medicaid expansion, with 36 percent more people entering treatment by the fourth expansion year in expansion states compared to nonexpansion states. Changes were largest for people entering intensive outpatient programs and those seeking medication treatment for opioid use disorder. The share of admissions paid for by Medicaid increased 23 percentage points in expansion states compared to nonexpansion states, largely displacing treatment paid for by state and local governments. The gradual increase in specialty substance use disorder treatment admissions after Medicaid expansion may reflect improving capacity and access to care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Saloner
- Brendan Saloner ( bsaloner@jhu. edu ) is an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Johanna Catherine Maclean
- Johanna Catherine Maclean is an associate professor of economics at Temple University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Hamersma S, Maclean JC. Insurance expansions and adolescent use of substance use disorder treatment. Health Serv Res 2021; 56:256-267. [PMID: 33210305 PMCID: PMC7969204 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.13604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide evidence on the effects of expansions to private and public insurance programs on adolescent specialty substance use disorder (SUD) treatment use. DATA SOURCE/STUDY SETTING The Treatment Episodes Data Set (TEDS), 1996 to 2017. STUDY DESIGN A quasi-experimental difference-in-differences design using observational data. DATA COLLECTION The TEDS provides administrative data on admissions to specialty SUD treatment. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Expansions of laws that compel private insurers to cover SUD treatment services at parity with general health care increase adolescent admissions by 26% (P < .05). These increases are driven by nonintensive outpatient admissions, the most common treatment episodes, which rise by 30% (P < .05) postparity law. In contrast, increases in income eligibility for public insurance targeting those 6-18 years old are not statistically associated with SUD treatment. CONCLUSIONS Private insurance expansions allow more adolescents to receive SUD treatment, while public insurance income eligibility expansions do not appear to influence adolescent SUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hamersma
- Department of Public Administration and International AffairsSyracuse UniversitySyracuseNew YorkUSA
- Center for Policy ResearchSyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Johanna Catherine Maclean
- Department of EconomicsTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- National Bureau of Economic ResearchCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
- Institute for the Study of LaborBonnGermany
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Hamersma S, Maclean JC. Do expansions in adolescent access to public insurance affect the decisions of substance use disorder treatment providers? JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 76:102434. [PMID: 33578327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We apply a mixed-payer economy model to study the effects of changes in the generosity of children's public health insurance programs - measured by Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program income thresholds - on substance use disorder (SUD) treatment provider behavior. Using government data on specialty SUD treatment providers over the period 1997-2011 combined with a two-way fixed-effects model and local event study, we show that increases in the generosity of children's public health insurance induce providers to participate in some, but not all, public markets. Our effects appear to be driven by non-profit and government providers. Non-profit providers also appear to increase treatment quantity slightly in response to coverage expansions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hamersma
- Department of Public Administration and International Affairs, Syracuse University, Senior Research Associate, Center for Policy Research, Syracuse, NY, USA.
| | - Johanna Catherine Maclean
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA; Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn, Germany.
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Abraham AJ, Yarbrough CR, Harris SJ, Adams GB, Andrews CM. Medicaid Expansion and Availability of Opioid Medications in the Specialty Substance Use Disorder Treatment System. Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72:148-155. [PMID: 33267651 PMCID: PMC8262068 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research has examined the effect of Medicaid expansion on access to physicians with buprenorphine waivers, but less attention has been paid to Medicaid's impact on opioid use disorder medication availability within the specialty substance use disorder treatment system. To address this gap in the literature, this study examined the impact of Medicaid expansion on availability of opioid medications in specialty programs. METHODS This study used data from the National Survey of the Substance Abuse Treatment Services (2002-2017), containing all known substance use disorder treatment programs in the United States, to examine the effect of Medicaid expansion on the availability of opioid use disorder medications by treatment program ownership type (publicly owned, private for profit, and private nonprofit) among opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and non-OTPs. RESULTS The effects of Medicaid expansion were limited to nonprofit and for-profit OTPs. Medicaid expansion was associated with 135.1% and 57.5% increases in the number of nonprofit and for-profit OTPs offering injectable naltrexone, respectively, and with a 64.4% increase in the number of nonprofit OTPs offering buprenorphine. Nonprofit and for-profit OTPs compose <10% of the treatment system, indicating that improvements in opioid use disorder treatment associated with Medicaid expansion were limited to a small share of the specialty system. CONCLUSIONS The limited impact of Medicaid expansion on the specialty treatment system may perpetuate disparities in the accessibility and quality of opioid use disorder treatment for Medicaid enrollees and fail to alleviate high rates of opioid use disorder and opioid overdose deaths in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Abraham
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens (Abraham, Harris); Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Yarbrough); Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens (Adams); Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia (Andrews)
| | - Courtney R Yarbrough
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens (Abraham, Harris); Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Yarbrough); Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens (Adams); Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia (Andrews)
| | - Samantha J Harris
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens (Abraham, Harris); Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Yarbrough); Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens (Adams); Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia (Andrews)
| | - Grace Bagwell Adams
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens (Abraham, Harris); Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Yarbrough); Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens (Adams); Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia (Andrews)
| | - Christina M Andrews
- Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens (Abraham, Harris); Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta (Yarbrough); Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens (Adams); Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia (Andrews)
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43
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Lynch AC, Weber AN, Hedden S, Sabbagh S, Arndt S, Acion L. Three-month outcomes from a patient-centered program to treat opioid use disorder in Iowa, USA. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2021; 16:8. [PMID: 33435993 PMCID: PMC7801772 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-021-00342-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid use disorder (OUD), a chronic disease, is a major public health problem. Despite availability of effective treatment, too few people receive it and treatment retention is low. Understanding barriers and facilitators of treatment access and retention is needed to improve outcomes for people with OUD. OBJECTIVES To assess 3-month outcomes pilot data from a patient-centered OUD treatment program in Iowa, USA, that utilized flexible treatment requirements and prioritized engagement over compliance. METHODS Forty patients (62.5% female: mean age was 35.7 years, SD 9.5) receiving medication, either buprenorphine or naltrexone, to treat OUD were enrolled in an observational study. Patients could select or decline case management, counseling, and peer recovery groups. Substance use, risk and protective factors, and recovery capital were measured at intake and 3 months. RESULTS Most participants reported increased recovery capital. The median Assessment of Recovery Capital (ARC) score went from 37 at enrollment to 43 (p < 0.01). Illegal drug use decreased, with the median days using illegal drugs in the past month dropping from 10 to 0 (p < 0.001). Cravings improved: 29.2% reported no cravings at intake and 58.3% reported no cravings at 3 months (p < 0.001). Retention rate was 92.5% at 3 months. Retention rate for participants who were not on probation/parole was higher (96.9%) than for those on probation/parole (62.5%, p = 0.021). CONCLUSION This study shows preliminary evidence that a care model based on easy and flexible access and strategies to improve treatment retention improves recovery capital, reduces illegal drug use and cravings, and retains people in treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison C Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Andrea N Weber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Suzy Hedden
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sayeh Sabbagh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Stephan Arndt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Laura Acion
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Instituto de Cálculo, Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Powell D, Pacula RL. THE EVOLVING CONSEQUENCES OF OXYCONTIN REFORMULATION ON DRUG OVERDOSES. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2020; 7:41-67. [PMID: 34568515 PMCID: PMC8460090 DOI: 10.1086/711723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that the short-term transition of the opioid crisis from prescription opioids to heroin can be attributed to the reformulation of OxyContin, which substantially reduced access to abusable prescription opioids. In this paper, we find that over a longer time horizon, reformulation stimulated illicit drug markets to grow and evolve. We compare overdose trajectories in areas more exposed to reformulation, defined as states with higher rates of nonmedical OxyContin use before reformulation, to less exposed areas. More exposed areas experienced disproportionate increases in fatal overdoses involving synthetic opioids (fentanyl) and nonopioid substances like cocaine, suggesting that these new epidemics are related to the same factors driving the rise in heroin deaths. Instead of just short-term substitution from prescription opioid to heroin overdoses, the transition to illicit markets spurred by reformulation led to growth in the overall overdose rate to unprecedented levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosalie Liccardo Pacula
- Sol Price School of Public Policy and Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California, and NBER
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45
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Soni A. The effects of public health insurance on health behaviors: Evidence from the fifth year of Medicaid expansion. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2020; 29:1586-1605. [PMID: 32822116 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the longer term relationship between public health insurance expansions and health behaviors. I leverage geographic and temporal variation in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act-facilitated Medicaid expansions and provide the first estimates of the expansions' behavioral impacts during their first 5 years. Using national survey data from the 2010 to 2018 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System and a difference-in-differences regression design, I show that the Medicaid expansions increase utilization of certain forms of preventive care, while reducing heavy drinking. I also find suggestive evidence that the expansions reduce smoking and increase the probability of exercise. These results stand in contrast with earlier studies that used only 2 or 3 years of postexpansion data and found no detectable effect of the Medicaid expansions on health behaviors in the short run. My results, combined with evidence from previous studies, suggest that public insurance expansions may not prompt an immediate change in health behaviors, but newly eligible populations do increase investments in healthy behaviors over time. In the long run, Medicaid expansions may help reduce engagement in risky behaviors like drinking and smoking among low-income people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Soni
- School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC, USA
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46
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Olfson M, Wall M, Barry CL, Mauro C, Feng T, Mojtabai R. Medicaid Expansion and Low-Income Adults with Substance Use Disorders. J Behav Health Serv Res 2020; 48:477-486. [PMID: 33156464 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-020-09738-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Problems accessing affordable treatment are common among low-income adults with substance use disorders. A difference-in-differences analysis was performed to assess changes in insurance and treatment of low-income adults with common substance use disorders following the 2014 ACA Medicaid expansion, using data from the 2008-2017 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Lack of insurance among low-income adults with substance use disorders in expansion states declined from 34.8% (2012-2013) to 20.0% (2014-2015) to 13.5% (2016-2017) while Medicaid coverage increased from 24.8% (2012-2013) to 48.0% (2016-2017). In nonexpansion states, lack of insurance declined from 44.8% (2012-2013) to 34.2% (2016-2017) and Medicaid coverage increased from 14.3% (2012-2013) to 23.4% (2016-2017). Treatment rates remained low and little changed. Medicaid expansion contributed to insurance coverage gains for low-income adults with substance use disorders, although persistent treatment gaps underscore clinical and policy challenges of engaging these newly insured adults in treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Olfson
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeon, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Melanie Wall
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeon, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Colleen L Barry
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christine Mauro
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tianshu Feng
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ramin Mojtabai
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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47
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Mojtabai R, Mauro C, Wall MM, Barry CL, Olfson M. Private health insurance coverage of drug use disorder treatment: 2005-2018. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240298. [PMID: 33035265 PMCID: PMC7546457 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many privately insured adults with drug use disorders in the United States do not have health care coverage for drug use treatment. The Affordable Care Act sought to redress this gap by including substance use treatments as essential health benefits under new plans offered. This study used data from 11,732 privately insured adult participants of the 2005-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health with drug use disorders to examine trends in drug use treatment coverage and the association of coverage with receiving treatment. 37.6% of the participants with drug use disorders did not know whether their plan covered drug use treatment, with little change over time. Among those who knew, coverage increased modestly between the 2005-2013 and 2014-2018 periods (73.5% vs. 77.5%, respectively, p = .015). Coverage was associated with receiving drug use treatment (adjusted odds ratio = 2.09, 95% confidence interval = 1.61-2.72, p < .001). However, even among participants with coverage, only 13.4% received treatment. Broader coverage of drug use treatment could potentially improve treatment rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Mojtabai
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Christine Mauro
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Melanie M. Wall
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Colleen L. Barry
- Department of Health Policy and Management and Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Mark Olfson
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
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48
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Han X, Ku L. Enhancing Staffing In Rural Community Health Centers Can Help Improve Behavioral Health Care. Health Aff (Millwood) 2020; 38:2061-2068. [PMID: 31794314 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Community health centers are a vital part of the primary and behavioral health care systems in rural areas. We compared behavioral health care staffing and services in rural and urban centers. In the period 2013-17 the overall staff-to-patient ratio in behavioral health rose by 66 percent in rural centers, faster than growth in urban centers (49 percent). Growth in both settings was mostly driven by clinical social workers and other licensed mental health providers; staffing by psychiatrists and psychologists changed only slightly. In rural centers the average adjusted increase in annual visits per additional behavioral health staff member was 411 for substance use disorders, slightly higher than at urban centers. Additional annual visits per additional staff member in rural centers were 539 for depression, 466 for anxiety, and 300 for other mental disorders, similar to the numbers in urban centers. Behavioral health staff currently participating in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) contributed more to visits for depression and anxiety in rural centers, compared to both their urban counterparts and non-NHSC staff in rural centers. Enhancing behavioral health staffing in rural community health centers could help reduce the urban-rural gap in the availability of behavioral health services, but still more could be done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Han
- Xinxin Han is a postdoctoral fellow at Tsinghua University School of Medicine, in Beijing, China. She was a senior research associate at the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., when this article was written
| | - Leighton Ku
- Leighton Ku ( lku@gwu. edu ) is a professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University
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49
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McClellan C, Maclean JC, Saloner B, McGinty EE, Pesko M. Integrated care models and behavioral health care utilization: Quasi-experimental evidence from Medicaid health homes. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2020; 29:1086-1097. [PMID: 32323396 PMCID: PMC7863583 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Integration of behavioral and general medical care can improve outcomes for individuals with behavioral health conditions-serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorder (SUD). However, behavioral health care has historically been segregated from general medical care in many countries. We provide the first population-level evidence on the effects of Medicaid health homes (HH) on behavioral health care service use. Medicaid, a public insurance program in the United States, HHs were created under the 2010 Affordable Care Act to coordinate behavioral and general medical care for enrollees with behavioral health conditions. As of 2016, 16 states had adopted an HH for enrollees with SMI and/or SUD. We use data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health over the period 2010 to 2016 coupled with a two-way fixed-effects model to estimate HH effects on behavioral health care utilization. We find that HH adoption increases service use among enrollees, although mental health care treatment findings are sensitive to specification. Further, enrollee self-reported health improves post-HH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandler McClellan
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Center for Financing, Access, and Trends, Rockville, MD, USA
- Corresponding author. . Phone: 301-427-1646
| | - Johanna Catherine Maclean
- Department of Economics, Temple University, Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research, Research Affiliate, Institute of Labor Economics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emma E. McGinty
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael Pesko
- Department of Economics, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, USA
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50
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PARK JUNYEONG, ROUHANI SABA, BELETSKY LEO, VINCENT LOUISE, SALONER BRENDAN, SHERMAN SUSANG. Situating the Continuum of Overdose Risk in the Social Determinants of Health: A New Conceptual Framework. Milbank Q 2020; 98:700-746. [PMID: 32808709 PMCID: PMC7482387 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Policy Points This article reconceptualizes our understanding of the opioid epidemic and proposes six strategies that address the epidemic's social roots. In order to successfully reduce drug-related mortality over the long term, policymakers and public health leaders should develop partnerships with people who use drugs, incorporate harm reduction interventions, and reverse decades of drug criminalization policies. CONTEXT Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Synthetic opioids, predominantly illicit fentanyl and its analogs, surpassed prescription opioids and heroin in associated mortality rates in 2016. Unfortunately, interventions fail to fully address the current wave of the opioid epidemic and often omit the voices of people with lived experiences regarding drug use. Every overdose death is a culmination of a long series of policy failures and lost opportunities for harm reduction. METHODS In this article, we conducted a scoping review of the opioid literature to propose a novel framework designed to foreground social determinants more directly into our understanding of this national emergency. The "continuum of overdose risk" framework is our synthesis of the global evidence base and is grounded in contemporary theories, models, and policies that have been successfully applied both domestically and internationally. FINDINGS De-escalating overdose risk in the long term will require scaling up innovative and comprehensive solutions that have been designed through partnerships with people who use drugs and are rooted in harm reduction. CONCLUSIONS Without recognizing the full drug-use continuum and the role of social determinants, the current responses to drug overdose will continue to aggravate the problem they are trying to solve.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - LEO BELETSKY
- School of Law and Bouvé College of Health SciencesNortheastern University
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