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Andraka-Christou B, Golan OK, Williams M, Buksbaum S, Gordon AJ, Stein BD. A Systematic Review of State Office-Based Buprenorphine Treatment Laws Effective During 2022: Counseling, Dosage, and Visit Frequency Requirements. Subst Use Addctn J 2024; 45:278-291. [PMID: 38288697 DOI: 10.1177/29767342231223721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Buprenorphine is among the most effective treatments for opioid use disorder. Even though the federal government recently eliminated the waiver requirement and patient limits applicable to office-based buprenorphine treatment (OBBT), among other settings, some states may still have policies imposing requirements on OBBT providers not required by federal law. METHODS We collected statutes and regulations from 50 US states and the District of Columbia (ie, 51 jurisdictions) between August 11 and November 30, 2022 using the Nexis Uni legal database and search terms related to OBBT counseling, dosage, and/or frequency of visits. We then used template analysis, a mixed deductive-inductive qualitative method, to analyze legal content. RESULTS Ten jurisdictions (20%) in 2022 had an OBBT counseling, dosage, and/or visit frequency requirement. Four jurisdictions had at least one law in each OBBT policy category examined. One-fifth of jurisdictions have OBBT policies not required under federal law. Five of these jurisdictions are among those with the highest overdose death rates per capita, according to publicly available data from 2021. Some OBBT requirements could potentially limit clinician interest in offering buprenorphine treatment or result in inadequate care (eg, if dosage limitations are too low.). CONCLUSIONS Even though a federal waiver is no longer required for OBBT, our results suggests that at least some jurisdictions have other OBBT requirements, such as counseling, dosage, and/or frequency requirements. Given the severity of the ongoing opioid overdose crisis, policymakers should carefully consider the extent to which OBBT requirements are evidence based.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | | | - Michelle Williams
- Legal Studies Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Scott Buksbaum
- Legal Studies Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Landis RK, Stein BD, Dick AW, Griffin BA, Saloner BK, Terplan M, Faherty LJ. Trends and Disparities in Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Medicaid, 2007-2012. Med Care Res Rev 2024; 81:145-155. [PMID: 38160405 DOI: 10.1177/10775587231216515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
We described Medicaid-insured women by receipt of perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment; and trends and disparities in treatment. Using 2007 to 2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract data from 45 states and D.C., we identified deliveries among women with OUD. Regressions modeled the association between patient characteristics and receipt of any OUD treatment, medication for OUD (MOUD), and counseling alone during the perinatal period. Rates of any OUD treatment and MOUD for women with perinatal OUD increased over the study period, but trends differed by subgroup. Compared with non-Hispanic White women, Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women were less likely to receive any OUD treatment, and Black women were less likely to receive MOUD. Over time, the disparity in receipt of MOUD between Black and White women increased. Overall gains in OUD treatment were driven by improvements in perinatal OUD care for White women and obscured disparities for Black and AI/AN women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Laura J Faherty
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA
- Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
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Davis CS, Carr DH, Stein BD. Drug-related physician continuing medical education requirements, 2010-2020. J Subst Use Addict Treat 2024; 161:209356. [PMID: 38548061 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2024.209356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The crisis of drug-related harm in the United States continues to worsen. While prescription-related overdoses have fallen dramatically, they are still far above pre-2010 levels. Physicians can reduce the risk of overdose and other drug-related harms by improving opioid prescribing practices and ensuring that patients are able to easily access medications for substance use disorder treatment. Most physicians received little or no training in those subjects in medical school. It is possible that continuing medical education can improve physician knowledge of appropriate prescribing and substance use disorder treatment and patient outcomes. METHODS Descriptive legal review. Laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia were searched for provisions that require all or most physicians to receive either one-time or continuing medical education regarding controlled substance prescribing, pain management, or substance use disorder treatment. RESULTS There has been a rapid increase in the number of states with relevant requirements, from three states at the end of 2010 to 42 at the end of 2020. The frequency and duration of required education varied substantially across states. In all states, the number of hours required in relevant topics is a small fraction of overall required continuing education, an average of 1 h per year. Despite recent shifts in the substances driving overdose, most requirements remain focused on opioids. CONCLUSION While most states have now adopted continuing education requirements regarding controlled substance prescribing, pain management, or substance use disorder treatment, these requirements comprise a small component of the required post-training education requirements. Research is needed to determine whether this training translates into reductions in drug-related harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey S Davis
- Harm Reduction Legal Project, Network for Public Health Law, 3701 Wilshire Blvd. #750, Los Angeles, CA 90010, United States of America.
| | - Derek H Carr
- Network for Public Health Law, United States of America
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Golberstein E, Campbell JM, Maclean JC, Harris SJ, Saloner B, Stein BD. Prescription Drug Dispensing and Patient Costs After Implementation of a No Behavioral Health Cost-Sharing Law. JAMA Health Forum 2024; 5:e240198. [PMID: 38517423 PMCID: PMC10960196 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.0198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance On January 1, 2022, New Mexico implemented a No Behavioral Cost-Sharing (NCS) law that eliminated cost-sharing for mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) treatments in plans regulated by the state, potentially reducing a barrier to treatment for MH/SUDs among the commercially insured; however, the outcomes of the law are unknown. Objective To assess the association of implementation of the NCS with out-of-pocket spending for prescription for drugs primarily used to treat MH/SUDs and monthly volume of dispensed drugs. Design, Settings, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used a difference-in-differences research design to examine trends in outcomes for New Mexico state employees, a population affected by the NCS, compared with federal employees in New Mexico who were unaffected by NCS. Data were collected on prescription drugs for MH/SUDs dispensed per month between January 2021 and June 2022 for New Mexico patients with a New Mexico state employee health plan and New Mexico patients with a federal employee health plan. Data analysis occurred from December 2022 to January 2024. Exposure Enrollment in a state employee health plan or federal health plan. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were mean patient out-of-pocket spending per dispensed MH/SUD prescription and the monthly volume of dispensed MH/SUD prescriptions per 1000 employees. A difference-in-differences estimation approach was used. Results The implementation of the NCS law was associated with a mean (SE) $6.37 ($0.30) reduction (corresponding to an 85.6% decrease) in mean out-of-pocket spending per dispensed MH/SUD medication (95% CI, -$7.00 to -$5.75). The association of implementation of NCS with the volume of prescriptions dispensed was not statistically significant. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that the implementation of the New Mexico NCS law was successful in lowering out-of-pocket spending on prescription medications for MH/SUDs, but that there was no association of NCS with the volume of medications dispensed in the first 6 months after implementation. A key challenge is to identify policies that protect from high out-of-pocket spending while also promoting access to needed care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezra Golberstein
- Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis
| | - James M. Campbell
- Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis
| | - Johanna Catherine Maclean
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Samantha J. Harris
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Grant S, Smart R, Gordon AJ, Pacula RL, Stein BD. Expert Views on State Policies to Improve Engagement and Retention in Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Analysis of an Online Modified Delphi Process. J Addict Med 2024; 18:129-137. [PMID: 38039084 PMCID: PMC10939945 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000001253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine expert views on the effectiveness and implementability of state policies to improve engagement and retention in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). METHODS We conducted a 3-round modified Delphi process using the online ExpertLens platform. Participants included 66 experts on OUD treatment policies. Experts commented on 14 hypothetical state policies targeting treatment engagement and quality of care. Using the GRADE Evidence-to-Decision framework, we conducted reflexive thematic analysis to develop patterns of meaning from the dataset. RESULTS Only policies for providing continued access to evidence-based treatment for highly at-risk populations, settings, and periods were seen as effective in meaningfully reducing population-level opioid-related overdose mortality. Experts commented that, although the general public increasingly supports policies expanding medications for OUD and evidence-based care, ongoing stigma about OUD encourages public acceptance of punitive and paternalistic policies. Experts viewed all policies as at least moderately feasible given the current infrastructure and resources, with affordability reliant on long-term cost savings from reduced opioid-related harms. Equitability depended on whether experts perceived a policy as inherently equitable in its design as well as concerns about the potential for inequitable implementation due to structural oppression and interpersonal biases in criminal-legal, healthcare, and other systems. CONCLUSIONS Experts believe that supportive (rather than punitive) policies improve engagement and retention in OUD treatment. States could prioritize implementing supportive policies that are patient-centered and take a harm-reduction approach to enhance medications for OUD access and utilization. States could consider deimplementing punitive policies that are coercive, take an abstinence-only approach, and use punitive and restrictive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam J. Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA), University of Utah School of Medicine
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center of Innovation, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System
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Harris SJ, Landis RK, Li W, Stein BD, Saloner B. Utilization of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among West Virginia Medicaid Enrollees Following Medicaid Coverage of Methadone. Subst Use Addctn J 2024; 45:91-100. [PMID: 38258853 DOI: 10.1177/29767342231208516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND West Virginia entered an institution for mental disease Section 1115 waiver with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2018, which allowed Medicaid to cover methadone at West Virginia's nine opioid treatment programs (OTPs) for the first time. METHODS We conducted time trend and geospatial analyses of Medicaid enrollees between 2016 and 2019 to examine medications for opioid use disorder utilization patterns following Medicaid coverage of methadone, focusing on distance to an OTP as a predictor of initiating methadone and conditional on receiving any, longer treatment duration. RESULTS Following Medicaid coverage of methadone in 2018, patients receiving methadone comprised 9.5% of all Medicaid enrollees with an opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnosis and 10.6% in 2019 (P < 0.01). In 2018, two-thirds of methadone patients either had no prior OUD diagnosis or were not previously enrolled in Medicaid in our observation period. Patients residing within 20 miles of an OTP were more likely to receive methadone (marginal effect [ME]: -0.041, P < 0.001). Similarly, patients residing in metropolitan areas were more likely to receive treatment than those residing in nonmetropolitan areas (ME: -0.019, P < 0.05). Metropolitan patients traveled an average of 15 miles to an OTP; nonmetropolitan patients traveled more than twice as far (P < 0.001). We found no significant association between distance and treatment duration. CONCLUSIONS West Virginia Medicaid's new methadone coverage was associated with an influx of new enrollees with OUD, many of whom had no previous OUD diagnosis or prior Medicaid enrollment. Methadone patients frequently traveled far distances for treatment, suggesting that the state needs additional OTPs and innovative methadone delivery models to improve availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Harris
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Wenshu Li
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Andraka-Christou B, Golan O, Totaram R, Ohama M, Saloner B, Gordon AJ, Stein BD. Prior authorization restrictions on medications for opioid use disorder: trends in state laws from 2005 to 2019. Ann Med 2023; 55:514-520. [PMID: 36724766 PMCID: PMC9897778 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2171107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs) - including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone - are the most effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD). Historically, insurers have required prior authorization for MOUD, but prior authorization is often reported as a key barrier to MOUD prescribing. Some states have passed laws prohibiting MOUD prior authorization requirements. We sought to identify the frequency of MOUD prior authorization prohibitions in state laws and to categorize types of prohibitions. METHODS We searched for regulations and statutes present in all U.S. states and Washington DC between 2005 and 2019 using MOUD-related terms in Westlaw legal software. In qualitative software, we coded laws discussing MOUD prior authorization using template analysis - a mixed deductive/inductive approach. Finally, we used coded laws to identify frequencies of states with prior authorization prohibitions, including changes over time. RESULTS No states had laws prohibiting MOUD prior authorization between 2005 and 2015, with the first prohibition appearing in 2016. By 2019, fifteen states had MOUD prior authorization prohibitions. States varied significantly in their approach to prohibiting MOUD prior authorization. In 2019, it was more common for states to have MOUD prior authorization prohibitions applying to all insurers (n = 10 states) than to only Medicaid (n = 7 states) or only non-Medicaid insurers (n = 1 state). In 2019, general prior authorization prohibitions (n = 10 states) were more common than prohibitions only applicable to medications on the formulary, prohibitions only applicable to medications on the preferred drug list, prohibitions only applicable during the first 5 days of treatment, and prohibitions only applicable during the first 30 days of treatment. CONCLUSIONS The number of states with an MOUD prior authorization law prohibition increased in recent years. Such laws could help expand access to life-saving OUD treatments by making it easier for clinicians to prescribe MOUD.KEY MESSAGESNo states had MOUD prior authorization prohibitions between 2005 and 2015 in state statutes or regulations, and only one state had such a prohibition in 2016.By 2019, fifteen states had an MOUD prior authorization prohibition law.States varied significantly in their approach to prohibiting MOUD prior authorization, including with respect to the insurer type, duration of the prohibition, and applicable medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine (Secondary Joint Appointment), University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- CONTACT Barbara Andraka-Christou School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, 525 W Livingston Street, Suite 401, Orlando, 32801FL, USA
| | - Olivia Golan
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rachel Totaram
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Maggie Ohama
- The Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam J. Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Andraka-Christou B, McAvoy E, Gordon AJ, Ohama M, Brach M, Taylor EA, Vaiana M, Saloner B, Stein BD. Urine drug testing in the context of opioid analgesic prescribing for chronic pain: a content analysis of U.S. state laws in 2022. Pain Med 2023; 24:1306-1317. [PMID: 37551941 PMCID: PMC10690857 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnad103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In response to the opioid crisis, U.S. states have passed laws requiring urine drug testing (UDT) when opioid analgesics are prescribed for chronic pain. We sought to identify state law UDT requirements. METHODS We searched NexisUni legal database using terms related to UDT, chronic pain, and opioids. We included laws effective during spring 2022 that required UDT when opioids were prescribed for chronic pain. We performed deductive content analysis, coding laws for mandated UDT frequency, type of clinician and type of payer to whom the law applied, and circumstances under which UDT was mandated. RESULTS We found 32 laws across 13 states that met our inclusion criteria. UDT requirements varied substantially by state, including with regard to the type of clinician to whom the law applied, the mandated frequency of UDT (eg, at initiation/assessment, at least annually, more than once per year), and the circumstances in which UDT was mandated (eg, patient had substance use disorder; dosage/day threshold). DISCUSSION Relatively few states have UDT mandates associated with prescribing opioids as chronic pain treatment. When developing policy indicators for empirical studies, researchers evaluating how UDT policy affects health outcomes must consider the complexity and lack of uniformity of UDT requirements. In addition, even if states mandate UDT, it is unclear whether clinicians understand the best way to use the test results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32801, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine (Secondary Joint Appointment), University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, United States
| | - Elizabeth McAvoy
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States
| | - Maggie Ohama
- The Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Gainesville, FL 32605, United States
| | | | - Erin A Taylor
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States
| | - Mary Vaiana
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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Leech AA, McNeer E, Stein BD, Richards MR, McElroy T, Dupont WD, Patrick SW. County-level Factors and Treatment Access Among Insured Women With Opioid Use Disorder. Med Care 2023; 61:816-821. [PMID: 37199507 PMCID: PMC10656358 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An over 40% increase in overdose deaths within the past 2 years and low levels of engagement in treatment call for a better understanding of factors that influence access to medication for opioid use disorder (OUD). OBJECTIVE To examine whether county-level characteristics influence a caller's ability to secure an appointment with an OUD treatment practitioner, either a buprenorphine-waivered prescriber or an opioid treatment program (OTP). RESEARCH DESIGN AND SUBJECTS We leveraged data from a randomized field experiment comprised of simulated pregnant and nonpregnant women of reproductive age seeking treatment for OUD among 10 states in the US. We employed a mixed-effects logistic regression model with random intercepts for counties to examine the relationship between appointments received and salient county-level factors related to OUD. MEASURES Our primary outcome was the caller's ability to secure an appointment with an OUD treatment practitioner. County-level predictor variables included socioeconomic disadvantage rankings, rurality, and OUD treatment/practitioner density. RESULTS Our sample comprised 3956 reproductive-aged callers; 86% reached a buprenorphine-waivered prescriber and 14% an OTP. We found that 1 additional OTP per 100,000 population was associated with an increase (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.71) in the likelihood that a nonpregnant caller receives an OUD treatment appointment from any practitioner. CONCLUSIONS When OTPs are highly concentrated within a county, women of reproductive age with OUD have an easier time securing an appointment with any practitioner. This finding may suggest greater practitioners' comfort in prescribing when there are robust OUD specialty safety nets in the county.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A. Leech
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Elizabeth McNeer
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Bradley D. Stein
- RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Tamarra McElroy
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - William D. Dupont
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Stephen W. Patrick
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Mildred Stahlman Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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Golan OK, Sheng F, Dick AW, Sorbero M, Whitaker DJ, Andraka-Christou B, Pigott T, Gordon AJ, Stein BD. Differences in medicaid expansion effects on buprenorphine treatment utilization by county rurality and income: A pharmacy data claims analysis from 2009-2018. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep 2023; 9:100193. [PMID: 37876376 PMCID: PMC10590758 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Background Although use of buprenorphine for treating opioid use disorder increased over the past decade, buprenorphine utilization remains limited in lower-income and rural areas. We examine how the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion influenced buprenorphine initiation rates by county income and evaluate how associations differ by county rural-urban status. Methods This study used nationwide 2009-2018 IQVIA retail pharmacy data and a comparative interrupted time series framework-a hybrid framework combining regression discontinuity and difference-in-difference approaches. We used piecewise linear estimation to quantify changes in buprenorphine initiation rates before and after Medicaid expansion. Results The sample included observations from 376,704 county-months. We identified 5,227,340 new buprenorphine treatment episodes, with an average of 9.2 new buprenorphine episodes per month per 100,000 county residents. Among urban counties, those with the lowest median incomes experienced significantly larger increases in buprenorphine initiation rates associated with Medicaid expansion than counties with higher median incomes (5-year rates difference est=3525.3, se=1695.3, p = 0.04). However, among rural counties, there was no significant association between buprenorphine initiation rates and county median income after Medicaid expansion (5-year rates difference est=979.0, se=915.8, p = 0.29). Conclusions Medicaid expansion was associated with a reduction in income-related buprenorphine disparities in urban counties, but not in rural counties. To achieve more equitable buprenorphine access, future policies should target low-income rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia K. Golan
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | | | | | - Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine (Secondary Joint Appointment), University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Therese Pigott
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Adam J. Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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Rennane S, Sobol D, Stein BD, Dick A. Insurance coverage during transitions: Evidence from Medicaid automatic enrollment for children receiving supplemental security income. Health Serv Res 2023. [PMID: 37985435 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To analyze relationships between Medicaid automatic enrollment for child Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients and health insurance coverage during transitions. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING Medical Expenditure Panel Study, 2000-2020 and National Survey for Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2001-2010. STUDY DESIGN Leveraging variation in SSI-Medicaid automatic enrollment status across regions and over time, we estimate a regression model to quantify associations between automatic enrollment and insurance coverage. We validate our findings in the NS-CSHCN. DATA COLLECTION Our sample includes children receiving SSI for a disability. We also analyze a subsample of children newly enrolled in SSI. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Automatic enrollment is associated with a statistically significant increase in insurance coverage. Expanding automatic enrollment to all states is associated with increases in Medicaid enrollment of 3% (CI 0.9%-6.7%) among all SSI children and 7% (CI 1.1%-13.9%) among children newly enrolled in SSI. We find similar decreases in uninsurance. Analysis in the NS-CSHCN replicates these findings. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid automatic enrollment policies are associated with increased insurance coverage for SSI children, particularly those transitioning into the program. Medicaid policy defaults could play an important role in reducing administrative burdens to improve children's coverage and access to care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Danielle Sobol
- Pardee RAND Graduate School, Santa Monica, California, USA
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Andraka-Christou B, Williams M, Buksbaum S, Karkkainen J, Stein BD, Batchelder SR, Peck K, Heil SH, Rawson R, Sigmon SC. US state laws relevant to incentives for health behavior: A qualitative analysis. Prev Med 2023; 176:107645. [PMID: 37494973 PMCID: PMC10805957 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Contingency management (CM) involves provision of incentives for positive health behaviors via a well-defined protocol and is among the most effective treatments for patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). An understanding of laws affecting incentives for health behaviors and outcomes, including contexts in which incentives are already permitted, could inform efforts to disseminate CM. We conducted a systematic NexisUni legal database review of state statutes and regulations effective during 2022 to identify (a) laws that explicitly permit or prohibit delivery of incentives to patients, employees, or insurance beneficiaries for SUD-specific behaviors or outcomes, and (b) laws that explicitly permit delivery of incentives for any health behaviors or outcomes. We identified 27 laws across 17 jurisdictions that explicitly permit delivery of incentives for SUD-related behaviors or outcomes, with most occurring in the context of wellness programs. No state laws were identified that explicitly prohibit SUD-specific incentives. More broadly, we identified 57 laws across 29 jurisdictions permitting incentives for any health outcomes (both SUD- and non-SUD-related). These laws occurred in the contexts of wellness programs, K-12/early childhood education, government public health promotion, and SUD treatment provider licensing. Considering the urgent need to expand evidence-based SUD treatment in rural and underserved areas throughout the US, these findings could inform efforts to develop laws explicitly permitting provision of incentives in SUD care and enhance efforts to disseminate CM more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michelle Williams
- University of Central Florida, 525 W Livingston Ave, Suite 401, Orlando, FL 32801, USA
| | - Scott Buksbaum
- University of Central Florida, 525 W Livingston Ave, Suite 401, Orlando, FL 32801, USA
| | - Josie Karkkainen
- University of Central Florida, 525 W Livingston Ave, Suite 401, Orlando, FL 32801, USA
| | - Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15238, USA
| | - Sydney R Batchelder
- The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
| | - Kelly Peck
- The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
| | - Sarah H Heil
- The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
| | - Richard Rawson
- The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
| | - Stacey C Sigmon
- The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
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Griffin BA, Schuler MS, Stone EM, Patrick SW, Stein BD, de Lima PN, Griswold M, Scherling A, Stuart EA. Identifying Optimal Methods for Addressing Confounding Bias When Estimating the Effects of State-level Policies. Epidemiology 2023; 34:856-864. [PMID: 37732843 PMCID: PMC10538408 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Policy evaluation studies that assess how state-level policies affect health-related outcomes are foundational to health and social policy research. The relative ability of newer analytic methods to address confounding, a key source of bias in observational studies, has not been closely examined. METHODS We conducted a simulation study to examine how differing magnitudes of confounding affected the performance of 4 methods used for policy evaluations: (1) the two-way fixed effects difference-in-differences model; (2) a 1-period lagged autoregressive model; (3) augmented synthetic control method; and (4) the doubly robust difference-in-differences approach with multiple time periods from Callaway-Sant'Anna. We simulated our data to have staggered policy adoption and multiple confounding scenarios (i.e., varying the magnitude and nature of confounding relationships). RESULTS Bias increased for each method: (1) as confounding magnitude increases; (2) when confounding is generated with respect to prior outcome trends (rather than levels), and (3) when confounding associations are nonlinear (rather than linear). The autoregressive model and augmented synthetic control method had notably lower root mean squared error than the two-way fixed effects and Callaway-Sant'Anna approaches for all scenarios; the exception is nonlinear confounding by prior trends, where Callaway-Sant'Anna excels. Coverage rates were unreasonably high for the augmented synthetic control method (e.g., 100%), reflecting large model-based standard errors and wide confidence intervals in practice. CONCLUSIONS In our simulation study, no single method consistently outperformed the others, but a researcher's toolkit should include all methodologic options. Our simulations and associated R package can help researchers choose the most appropriate approach for their data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stephen W. Patrick
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, Mildred Stahlman Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Nashville, Tennessee, Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Agniel D, Cantor J, Golan OK, Yu H, Andraka-Christou B, Simon KI, Stein BD, Taylor EA. How are state telehealth policies associated with services offered by substance use disorder treatment facilities? Evidence from 2019 to 2022. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 252:110959. [PMID: 37734281 PMCID: PMC10731590 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic led several states to adopt policies permitting the delivery of substance use disorder treatment (SUDT) by telehealth. We assess the impact of state-level telehealth policies in 2020 that specifically permitted audio or audiovisual forms of telehealth offerings among SUDT facilities. PROCEDURE Cross-sectional analysis of secondary data from between 2019 and 2022. Pre-pandemic, federal law permitted states to allow audiovisual telehealth modes for SUDT to a limited extent. 2020 laws permitted states to allow audio-only modes for the first time and strengthened ability to offer audiovisual modes. We compared national SUDT facility self-reported telehealth offerings in 2020 and beyond to 2019, in states that in 2020 had policies permitting audiovisual and audio only, compared to other states. MAIN FINDINGS Among outpatient SUDT facilities (n = 5227) present in all four years of our data, the proportion offering telehealth increased from 18% (n = 921) in 2019-26% in 2020, 60% in 2021, and 79% in 2022. We estimate an audiovisual and audio only policy in 2020 was associated with an increase in telehealth offering rates in 2022 of +16.5% points (pp) (95% CI [+10.4,+22.6]) compared to the rates in states with no such listed policy. There was little evidence of an influence on telehealth offering in 2020 (-2.9 pp, CI [-9.0,+3.2]) and 2021 (+0.6 pp, CI [-5.5,+6.7]). CONCLUSIONS The enactment of state-level telehealth policies that allow audio and audiovisual modalities may have increased SUDT facilities' likelihood of offering telehealth services two years after enactment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hao Yu
- Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Landis RK, Stein BD, Griffin BA, Saloner BK, Terplan M, Faherty LJ. Disparities in Perinatal and Emergency Care Receipt Among Women With Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder in Medicaid, 2007 to 2012. J Addict Med 2023; 17:654-661. [PMID: 37934525 PMCID: PMC10759200 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000001199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to better understand receipt of perinatal and emergency care among women with perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) and explore variation by race/ethnicity. METHODS We used 2007-2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia to examine 6,823,471 deliveries for women 18 to 44 years old. Logistic regressions modeled the association between (1) OUD status and receipt of perinatal and emergency care, and (2) receipt of perinatal and emergency care and race/ethnicity, conditional on OUD diagnosis and controlling for patient and county characteristics. We used robust SEs, clustered at the individual level, and included state and year fixed effects. RESULTS Women with perinatal OUD were less likely to receive adequate prenatal care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-0.46) and attend the postpartum visit (aOR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.45-0.47) and more likely to seek emergency care (aOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.45-1.51) than women without perinatal OUD. Among women with perinatal OUD, Black, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women were less likely to receive adequate prenatal care (aOR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.64-0.72]; aOR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.80-0.92]; aOR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.64-0.79]) and attend the postpartum visit (aOR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.80-0.91]; aOR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.80-0.93]; aOR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.73-0.94]) relative to non-Hispanic White women. Black and AI/AN women were also more likely to receive emergency care (aOR, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.05-1.20]; aOR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.00-1.26]). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that women with perinatal OUD, in particular Black, Hispanic, and AI/AN women, may be missing opportunities for preventive care and comprehensive management of their physical and behavioral health during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Landis
- From the RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA (RKL, BAG); RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA (BDS); Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD (BKS); Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, MD (MT); RAND Corporation, Boston, MA (LJF); and Department of Pediatrics, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME (LJF)
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Kapinos KA, DeYoreo M, Gracner T, Stein BD, Cantor J. Trends in Geographic Proximity to Substance Use Disorder Treatment. Am J Prev Med 2023; 65:618-626. [PMID: 37037326 PMCID: PMC10524906 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aims to assess the trends in the number and characteristics of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities within the county of residence of adults aged 50+ years over time. METHODS Using retrospective longitudinal data from the 1992-2018 Health and Retirement Study merged with the county-level data on all licensed treatment facilities in the country, linear mixed models were estimated to calculate geographic accessibility to SUD treatment, adjusted for person-level demographics, state-level controls, and calendar year-fixed effects. Analysis was conducted in 2022. RESULTS Overall, older adults experienced a decline in the average number of SUD treatment facilities within their counties of residence from 4.80 per 100,000 residents (95% CI=4.69, 4.92) in 1992 to 4.50 (95% CI=4.35, 4.64) in 2018. However, the number accepting Medicare increased from 0.26 (95% CI=0.21, 0.30) in 1992 to 1.88 (95% CI=1.80, 1.96) facilities per 100,000 (42% of facilities); Medicaid increased from 0.20 (95% CI=0.13, 0.26) in 1992 to 3.50 (95% CI=3.39, 3.62) facilities per 100,000 (78% of facilities) in 2018. Older adults living in more rural areas experienced the most growth in SUD treatment facilities per capita in their counties but with less significant growth in facilities offering medication for opioid use disorder than those living in more urban areas. CONCLUSIONS Despite increases in the number of SUD treatment facilities in rural areas, there has been less growth in nearby facilities offering evidence-based medication treatment for opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandice A Kapinos
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia; Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
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Ramesh T, McBain RK, Cantor JH, Stein BD, Yu H. Mental Health Outcomes Among Patients Living in US Counties Lacking Broadband Access and Psychiatrists. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2333781. [PMID: 37707819 PMCID: PMC10502528 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.33781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study identifies the prevalence of counties without psychiatrists and broadband coverage, describes their sociodemographic characteristics, and quantifies their mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarun Ramesh
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | - Hao Yu
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
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Stein BD, Kilmer B, Taylor J, Vaiana ME, Barnes-Proby D, Caulkins JP, Davis LM, Dworsky M, Gates SM, Iguchi MY, Osilla KC, Pacula RL, Pardo B, Sherry TB, Smucker S. America's Opioid Ecosystem: How Leveraging System Interactions Can Help Curb Addiction, Overdose, and Other Harms. Rand Health Q 2023; 10:1. [PMID: 37720068 PMCID: PMC10501822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Opioids play an outsized role in America's drug problems, but they also play a critically important role in medicine. Thus, they deserve special attention. Illegally manufactured opioids (such as fentanyl) are involved in a majority of U.S. drug overdoses, but the problems are broader and deeper than drug fatalities. Depending on the drugs involved, there can be myriad physical and mental health consequences associated with having a substance use disorder. And it is not just those using drugs who suffer. Substance use and related behaviors can significantly affect individuals' families, friends, employers, and wider communities. Efforts to address problems related to opioids are insufficient and sometimes contradictory. Researchers provide a nuanced assessment of America's opioid ecosystem, highlighting how leveraging system interactions can reduce addiction, overdose, suffering, and other harms. At the core of the opioid ecosystem are the individuals who use opioids and their families. Researchers also include detail on ten major components of the opioid ecosystem: substance use disorder treatment, harm reduction, medical care, the criminal legal system, illegal supply and supply control, first responders, the child welfare system, income support and homeless services, employment, and education. The primary audience for this study is policymakers, but it should also be useful for foundations looking for opportunities to create change that have often been overlooked. This study can help researchers better consider the full consequences of policy changes and help members of the media identify the dynamics of interactions that deserve more attention.
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Weinbaum C, Khan O, Thomas TD, Stein BD. Neurodiversity and National Security: How to Tackle National Security Challenges with a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents. Rand Health Q 2023; 10:9. [PMID: 37720075 PMCID: PMC10501819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
National security organizations need highly skilled and intellectually creative individuals who are eager to apply their talents to address the nation's most pressing challenges. In public and private discussions, officials and experts addressed the need for neurodiversity in the national security community. They described missions that are too important and too difficult to be left to those who use their brains only in typical ways. Neurodivergent is an umbrella term that covers a variety of cognitive diagnoses, including (but not exclusive to) autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyscalculia, and Tourette's syndrome. Neurodivergent individuals are already part of the national security workforce. The purpose of this study is to understand the benefits that people with neurodivergence bring to national security; the challenges in recruiting, working with, and managing a neurodiverse workforce; and the barriers in national security workplaces that prevent agencies from realizing the full benefits of neurodiversity. To carry out this research, the authors conducted a review of primary, secondary, and commercial literature; they conducted semistructured interviews and held discussions with government officials, researchers and advocates for the interests of neurodivergent populations, and representatives from large organizations that have neurodiversity employment programs; and they synthesized findings from across these tasks to describe the complex landscape for neurodiversity in large organizations in general and in national security specifically.
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Kim K, Pacula RL, Dick AW, Stein BD, Druss BG, Agbese E, Cohrs AC, Leslie DL. Medical marijuana access and prolonged opioid use among adolescents and young adults. Am J Addict 2023; 32:479-487. [PMID: 37291067 PMCID: PMC10686234 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Laws liberalizing access to medical marijuana are associated with reduced opioid analgesic use among adults, but little is known about the impact of such policies on adolescents and young adults. METHODS This retrospective cohort study used 2005 to 2014 claims from MarketScan® Commercial database, which covers all 50 states and Washington D.C. The sample included 195,204 adolescent and young adult patients (aged 12-25) who underwent one of 13 surgical procedures. RESULTS Of the 195,204 patients, 4.8% had prolonged opioid use. Several factors were associated with a higher likelihood of prolonged opioid use, including being female (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.33), longer hospital stay (aOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06), greater days of index opioid supply (8-14 days: aOR, 1.39, 95% CI, 1.33-1.45; greater than 14 days: aOR, 2.42, 95% CI, 2.26-2.59), rural residence (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.14), and cholecystectomy (aOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.08-1.25). There was not a significant association of medical marijuana dispensary laws on prolonged opioid use (aOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.81-1.18). CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Medical marijuana has been suggested as a substitute for opioids, but our results focusing on adolescents and young adults provide new evidence that this particularly vulnerable population does not exhibit reductions in prolonged use of opioids after surgery when they have legal access to medical marijuana. These findings are the first to demonstrate potentially important age differences in sustained use of opioids, and point to the need for prescriber oversight and management with this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungha Kim
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rosalie L. Pacula
- Sol Price School of Public Policy, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | | | - Benjamin G. Druss
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Edeanya Agbese
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Austin C. Cohrs
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Douglas L. Leslie
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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Meiselbach MK, Drake C, Zhu JM, Manibusan B, Nagy D, Sorbero MJ, Saloner B, Stein BD, Polsky D. State Policy and the Breadth of Buprenorphine-Prescriber Networks in Medicaid Managed Care. Med Care Res Rev 2023; 80:423-432. [PMID: 37083043 PMCID: PMC10680055 DOI: 10.1177/10775587231167514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Provider networks in Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) play a crucial role in ensuring access to buprenorphine, a highly effective treatment for opioid use disorder. Using a difference-in-differences approach that compares network breadth across provider specialties and market segments within the same state, we investigated the association between three Medicaid policies and the breadth of MMC networks for buprenorphine prescribers: Medicaid expansion, substance use disorder (SUD) network adequacy criteria, and SUD carveouts. We found that both Medicaid expansion and SUD network adequacy criteria were associated with substantially increased breadth in buprenorphine-prescriber networks in MMC. In both cases, we found that the associations were largely driven by increases in the network breadth of primary care physician prescribers. Our findings suggest that Medicaid expansion and SUD network adequacy criteria may be effective strategies at states' disposal to improve access to buprenorphine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jane M. Zhu
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA
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22
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Buprenorphine is a key medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Since its approval in 2002, buprenorphine access has grown markedly, spurred by major federal and state policy changes. This study characterizes buprenorphine treatment episodes during 2007 to 2018 with respect to payer, provider specialty, and patient demographics. METHODS In this observational cohort study, IQVIA Real World pharmacy claims data were used to characterize trends in buprenorphine treatment episodes across four time periods: 2007-2009, 2010-2012, 2013-2015, and 2016-2018. RESULTS In total, we identified more than 4.1 million buprenorphine treatment episodes among 2 540 710 unique individuals. The number of episodes doubled from 652 994 in 2007-2009 to 1 331 980 in 2016-2018. Our findings indicate that the payer landscape changed dramatically, with the most pronounced growth observed for Medicaid (increased from 17% of episodes in 2007-2009 to 37% of episodes in 2016-2018), accompanied by relative declines for both commercial insurance (declined from 35 to 21%) and self-pay (declined from 27 to 11%). Adult primary care providers (PCPs) were the dominant prescribers throughout the study period. The number of episodes among adults older than 55 increased more than 3-fold from 2007-2009 to 2016-2018. In contrast, youth under age 18 experienced an absolute decline in buprenorphine treatment episodes. Buprenorphine episodes increased in length from 2007-2018, particularly among adults over age 45. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that the U.S. experienced clear growth in buprenorphine treatment-particularly for older adults and Medicaid beneficiaries-reflecting some key health policy and implementation success stories. Yet, since the prevalence of OUD and fatal overdose rate have also approximately doubled during this period, the observed growth in buprenorphine treatment did not demonstrably impact the pronounced treatment gap. To date, only a minority of individuals with OUD currently receive treatment, indicating continued need for systemic efforts to equitably improve treatment uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA) Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, and Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Griffin BA, Cabreros I, Saloner B, Gordon AJ, Kerber R, Stein BD. Exploring the Association of State Policies and the Trajectories of Buprenorphine Prescriber Patient Caseloads. Subst Abus 2023; 44:136-145. [PMID: 37401501 PMCID: PMC10680051 DOI: 10.1177/08897077231179824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing buprenorphine access is critical to facilitating effective opioid use disorder treatment. Buprenorphine prescriber numbers have increased substantially, but most clinicians who start prescribing buprenorphine stop within a year, and most active prescribers treat very few individuals. Little research has examined state policies' association with the evolution of buprenorphine prescribing clinicians' patient caseloads. METHODS Our retrospective cohort study design derived from 2006 to 2018 national pharmacy claims identifying buprenorphine prescribers and the number of patients treated monthly. We defined persistent prescribers based on results from a k-clustering approach and were characterized by clinicians who did not quickly stop prescribing and had average monthly caseloads greater than 5 patients for much of the first 6 years after their first dispensed prescription. We examined the association between persistent prescribers (dependent variable) and Medicaid coverage of buprenorphine, prior authorization requirements, and mandated counseling policies (key predictors) that were active within the first 2 years after a prescriber's first observed dispensed buprenorphine prescription. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses and entropy balancing weights to ensure better comparability of prescribers in states that did and did not implement policies. RESULTS Medicaid coverage of buprenorphine was associated with a smaller percentage of new prescribers becoming persistent prescribers (OR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.53, 0.97). There was no evidence that either mandatory counseling or prior authorization was associated with the odds of a clinician being a persistent prescriber with estimated ORs equal to 0.85 (95% CI = 0.63, 1.16) and 1.13 (95% CI = 0.83, 1.55), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Compared to states without coverage, states with Medicaid coverage for buprenorphine had a smaller percentage of new prescribers become persistent prescribers; there was no evidence that the other state policies were associated with changes in the rate of clinicians becoming persistent prescribers. Because buprenorphine treatment is highly concentrated among a small group of clinicians, it is imperative to increase the pool of clinicians providing care to larger numbers of patients for longer periods. Greater efforts are needed to identify and support factors associated with successful persistent prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam J. Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Saloner B, Andraka-Christou B, Stein BD, Gordon AJ. Will the End of the X-Waiver Expand Access to Buprenorphine Treatment? Achieving the Full Potential of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Subst Abus 2023; 44:108-111. [PMID: 37675897 PMCID: PMC10719867 DOI: 10.1177/08897077231186212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
The 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act repealed the special waiver for prescribing buprenorphine to patients with opioid use disorder, a bipartisan goal long sought by advocates. The change has symbolic importance in recognizing that buprenorphine is a mainstream medical treatment. We argue that the maximum potential of the law can be achieved by addressing three bottlenecks. First, it is important that new training requirements for all controlled substances prescribers be grounded in scientific principles of addiction treatment and are robustly evaluated to ensure they meet quality standards. Second, even with the elimination of the waiver, there are potential constraints from state law such as state-specific requirements that practitioners require counseling or obtain a separate credential, and many states also have limiting scope of practice regulations. We recommend that these requirements are eased wherever possible to improve treatment access. Third, it is critical to build onramps to treatment in settings such as primary care, hospitals, and correctional facilities. While we anticipate that buprenorphine prescribing will primarily occur in high-volume practices, there is the potential to activate a broader workforce to serve as entry points to care. We conclude that the stage is set for significant increases in lifesaving treatment but the difficult task ahead is ensuring that the resources and training are available to build strong capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | | | - Adam J. Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Richards MR, Leech AA, Stein BD, Buntin MB, Patrick SW. Prevalence of Buprenorphine Providers Requiring Cash Payment From Insured Women Seeking Opioid Use Disorder Treatment. Med Care 2023; 61:377-383. [PMID: 37083603 PMCID: PMC10175137 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) are known to be effective, especially in reducing the risk of overdose death. Yet, many individuals suffering from OUD are not receiving treatment. One potential barrier can be the patient's ability to access providers through their insurance plans. DATA AND METHODS We used an audit (simulated patient) study methodology to examine appointment-granting behavior by buprenorphine prescribers in 10 different US states. Trained callers posed as women with OUD and were randomly assigned Medicaid or private insurance status. Callers request an OUD treatment appointment and then asked whether they would be able to use their insurance to cover the cost of care, or alternatively, whether they would be required to pay fully out-of-pocket. FINDINGS We found that Medicaid and privately insured women were often asked to pay cash for OUD treatment--40% of the time over the full study sample. Such buprenorphine provider requests happened more than 60% of the time in some states. Areas with more providers or with more generous provider payments were not obviously more willing to accept the patient's insurance benefits for OUD treatment. Rural providers were less likely to require payment in cash in order for the woman to receive care. CONCLUSIONS State-to-state variation was the most striking pattern in our field experiment data. The wide variation suggests that women of reproductive age with OUD in certain states face even greater challenges to treatment access than perhaps previously thought; however, it also reveals that some states have found ways to curtail this problem. Our findings encourage greater attention to this public health challenge and possibly opportunities for shared learning across states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R. Richards
- Department of Economics, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco TX, 76798
| | - Ashley A. Leech
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 W End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
| | - Bradley D. Stein
- RAND Corporation and Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, RAND Pittsburg Office, 4570 5 Ave, Suite 600, Pittsburg, PA 15213
| | - Melinda B. Buntin
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 W End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
| | - Stephen W. Patrick
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 W End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
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Saloner B, Whitley P, Dawson E, Passik S, Gordon AJ, Stein BD. Polydrug use among patients on methadone medication treatment: Evidence from urine drug testing to inform patient safety. Addiction 2023. [PMID: 37158468 DOI: 10.1111/add.16180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Patients in methadone medication treatment for opioid use disorder (M-MOUD) typically have a complex history of opioid use, often in combination with other drugs. It is unknown how frequently M-MOUD patients experience persistent substance or polysubstance use. We measured trends in illicit substance use in a large, multistate population of M-MOUD patients and persistence of substance use in the first year of treatment. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study of United States (US) M-MOUD patients from 2017 to 2021, focused on urine drug specimens provided for testing to Millennium Health, a third-party laboratory. Specimens were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to estimate the average trends in positivity during time in treatment. SETTING Specimens were obtained from clinics in 10 US states that provided at least 300 unique patients during the study period (Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Virginia and Washington). PARTICIPANTS Patients with opioid use disorder receiving M-MOUD (n = 16 386). MEASUREMENTS Positivity rates for heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. FINDINGS From 2017 to 2021, yearly crude positivity rates for first collected specimens increased for fentanyl (13.1%-53.0%, P < 0.001), methamphetamine (10.6%-27.2%, P < 0.001) and cocaine (13.8%-19.5%, P < 0.001); for heroin positivity did not significantly change (6.9%-6.5%, P = 0.74). In regression models estimating patient trajectories from week 1 to week 52, marginal fentanyl positivity declined from 21.8% to 17.1% (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.78, P < 0.001) and heroin positivity declined from 8.4% to 4.3% (IRR = 0.51, P < 0.001), but positivity for methamphetamine and cocaine did not significantly change, remaining at an average of 17.7% (IRR = 0.98, P = 0.53) and 9.2% (IRR = 0.96, P = 0.36), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Between 2017 and 2021, United States patients presenting to opioid treatment programs increasingly tested positive for fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. Methadone medication treatment for opioid use disorder appears to remain an effective intervention for reducing illicit opioid use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Eric Dawson
- Millennium Health, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Adam J Gordon
- University of Utah and Veterans Health Administration, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Stein BD, Saloner BK, Golan OK, Andraka-Christou B, Andrews CM, Dick AW, Davis CS, Sheng F, Gordon AJ. Association of Selected State Policies and Requirements for Buprenorphine Treatment With Per Capita Months of Treatment. JAMA Health Forum 2023; 4:e231102. [PMID: 37234015 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.1102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Expanding the use of buprenorphine for treating opioid use disorder is a critical component of the US response to the opioid crisis, but few studies have examined how state policies are associated with buprenorphine dispensing. Objective To examine the association of 6 selected state policies with the rate of individuals receiving buprenorphine per 1000 county residents. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used 2006 to 2018 US retail pharmacy claims data for individuals dispensed buprenorphine formulations indicated for treating opioid use disorder. Exposures State implementation of policies requiring additional education for buprenorphine prescribers beyond waiver training, continuing medical education related to substance misuse and addiction, Medicaid coverage of buprenorphine, Medicaid expansion, mandatory prescriber use of prescription drug monitoring programs, and pain management clinic laws were examined. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was buprenorphine treatment months per 1000 county residents as measured using multivariable longitudinal models. Statistical analyses were conducted from September 1, 2021, through April 30, 2022, with revised analyses conducted through February 28, 2023. Results The mean (SD) number of months of buprenorphine treatment per 1000 persons nationally increased steadily from 1.47 (0.04) in 2006 to 22.80 (0.55) in 2018. Requiring that buprenorphine prescribers receive additional education beyond that required to obtain the federal X-waiver was associated with significant increases in the number of months of buprenorphine treatment per 1000 population in the 5 years following implementation of the requirement (from 8.51 [95% CI, 2.36-14.64] months in year 1 to 14.43 [95% CI, 2.61-26.26] months in year 5). Requiring continuing medical education for physician licensure related to substance misuse or addiction was associated with significant increases in buprenorphine treatment per 1000 population in each of the 5 years following policy implementation (from 7.01 [95% CI, 3.17-10.86] months in the first year to 11.43 [95% CI, 0.61-22.25] months in the fifth year). None of the other policies examined was associated with a significant change in buprenorphine months of treatment per 1000 county residents. Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study of US pharmacy claims, state-mandated educational requirements beyond the initial training required to prescribe buprenorphine were associated with increased buprenorphine use over time. The findings suggest requiring education for buprenorphine prescribers and training in substance use disorder treatment for all controlled substance prescribers as an actionable proposal for increasing buprenorphine use, ultimately serving more patients. No single policy lever can ensure adequate buprenorphine supply; however, policy maker attention to the benefits of enhancing clinician education and knowledge may help to expand buprenorphine access.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brendan K Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Olivia K Golan
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta
| | | | | | | | - Corey S Davis
- Network for Public Health Law, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Adam J Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Taylor EA, Cantor JH, Bradford AC, Simon K, Stein BD. Trends in Methadone Dispensing for Opioid Use Disorder After Medicare Payment Policy Changes. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2314328. [PMID: 37204793 PMCID: PMC10199341 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.14328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance A significant proportion of Medicare beneficiaries have a diagnosed opioid use disorder (OUD). Methadone and buprenorphine are both effective medications for the treatment of OUD (MOUDs); however, Medicare did not cover methadone until 2020. Objective To examine trends in methadone and buprenorphine dispensing among Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees after 2 policy changes in 2020 related to methadone access. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional analysis of temporal trends in methadone and buprenorphine treatment dispensing assessed MA beneficiary claims from January 1, 2019, through March 31, 2022, captured by Optum's Clinformatics Data Mart. Of 9 870 791 MA enrollees included in the database, 39 252 had at least 1 claim for methadone, buprenorphine, or both during the study period. All available MA enrollees were included. Subanalyses by age and dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid status were conducted. Exposures Study exposures were (1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare bundled payment reimbursement policy for OUD treatment and (2) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and CMS Medicare policies designed to facilitate access to treatment for OUD, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Main Outcomes and Measures Study outcomes were trends in methadone and buprenorphine dispensing by beneficiary characteristics. National methadone and buprenorphine dispensing rates were calculated as claims-based dispensing rates per 1000 MA enrollees. Results Among the 39 252 MA enrollees with at least 1 MOUD dispensing claim (mean age, 58.6 [95% CI, 58.57-58.62] years; 45.9% female), 195 196 methadone claims and 540 564 buprenorphine pharmacy claims were identified, for a total of 735 760 dispensing claims. The methadone dispensing rate for MA enrollees was 0 in 2019 because the policy did not allow any payment until 2020. Claims rates per 1000 MA enrollees were low initially, increasing from 0.98 in the first quarter of 2020 to 4.71 in the first quarter of 2022. Increases were primarily associated with dually eligible beneficiaries and beneficiaries younger than 65 years. National buprenorphine dispensing rates were 4.64 per 1000 enrollees in quarter 1 of 2019, increasing to 7.45 per 1000 enrollees in quarter 1 of 2022. Conclusions and Relevance This cross-sectional study found that methadone dispensing increased among Medicare beneficiaries after the policy changes. Rates of buprenorphine dispensing did not provide evidence that beneficiaries substituted buprenorphine for methadone. The 2 new CMS policies represent an important first step in increasing access to MOUD treatment for Medicare beneficiaries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashley C. Bradford
- The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington
| | - Kosali Simon
- The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington
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Schulson LB, Dick A, Sheng F, Stein BD. An Exploratory Analysis of Differential Prescribing of High-Risk Opioids by Insurance Type Among Patients Seen by the Same Clinician. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:1681-1688. [PMID: 36745303 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08025-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insurance status may influence quality of opioid analgesic (OA) prescribing among patients seen by the same clinician. OBJECTIVE To explore how high-risk OA prescribing varies by payer type among patients seeing the same prescriber and identify clinician characteristics associated with variable prescribing DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using the 2016-2018 IQVIA Real World Data - Longitudinal Prescription PARTICIPANTS: New OA treatment episodes for individuals ≥ 12 years, categorized by payer and prescriber. We created three dyads: prescribers with ≥ 10 commercial insurance episodes and ≥ 10 Medicaid episodes; ≥ 10 commercial insurance episodes and ≥ 10 self-pay episodes; and ≥ 10 Medicaid episodes and ≥ 10 self-pay episodes. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S) Rates of high-risk episodes (initial opioid episodes with > 7-days' supply or prescriptions with a morphine milliequivalent daily dose >90) and odds of being an unbalanced prescriber (prescribers with significantly higher percentage of high-risk episodes paid by one payer vs. the other payer) KEY RESULTS: There were 88,352 prescribers in the Medicaid/self-pay dyad, 172,392 in the Medicaid/commercial dyad, and 122,748 in the self-pay/commercial dyad. In the Medicaid/self-pay and the commercial-self-pay dyads, self-pay episodes had higher high-risk episode rates than Medicaid (16.1% and 18.4%) or commercial (22.7% vs. 22.4%). In the Medicaid/commercial dyad, Medicaid had higher high-risk episode rates (21.1% vs. 20.4%). The proportion of unbalanced prescribers was 11-12% across dyads. In adjusted analyses, surgeons and pain specialists were more likely to be unbalanced prescribers than adult primary care physicians (PCPs) in the Medicaid/self-paydyad (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.16-1.34 and aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.03-1.34). For Medicaid/commercial and self-pay/commercial dyads, surgeons had lower odds of being unbalanced compared to PCPs (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.57-0.66 and aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.61-0.68). CONCLUSIONS Clinicians prescribe high-risk OAs differently based on insurance type. The relationship between insurance and opioid prescribing quality goes beyond where patients receive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy B Schulson
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA. .,Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Andrew Dick
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA.,Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittburgh, PA, USA
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Andraka-Christou B, McAvoy E, Ohama M, Smart R, Vaiana ME, Taylor E, Stein BD. Systematic Identification and Categorization of Opioid Prescribing and Dispensing Policies in 16 States and Washington, DC. Pain Med 2023; 24:130-138. [PMID: 35984301 PMCID: PMC9890304 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnac124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES State policies can impact opioid prescribing or dispensing. Some state opioid policies have been widely examined in empirical studies, including prescription drug monitoring programs and pain clinic licensure requirements. Other relevant policies might exist that have received limited attention. Our objective was to identify and categorize a wide range of state policies that could affect opioid prescribing/dispensing. METHODS We used stratified random sampling to select 16 states and Washington, DC, for our sample. We collected state regulations and statutes effective during 2020 from each jurisdiction, using search terms related to opioids, pain management, and prescribing/dispensing. We then conducted qualitative template analysis of the data to identify and categorize policy categories. RESULTS We identified three dimensions of opioid prescribing/dispensing laws: the prescribing/dispensing rule, its applicability, and its disciplinary consequences. Policy categories of prescribing/dispensing rules included clinic licensure, staff credentials, evaluating the appropriateness of opioids, limiting the initiation of opioids, preventing the diversion or misuse of opioids, and enhancing patient safety. Policy categories related to applicability of the law included the pain type, substance type, practitioner, setting, payer, and prescribing situation. The disciplinary consequences dimension included specific consequences and inspection processes. DISCUSSION Policy categories within each dimension of opioid prescribing/dispensing laws could become a foundation for creating variables to support empirical analyses of policy effects, improving operationalization of policies in empirical studies, and helping to disentangle the effects of multiple state laws enacted at similar times to address the opioid crisis. Several of the policy categories we identified have been underexplored in previous empirical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
- Department of Internal Medicine (Secondary Joint Appointment), University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
| | - Elizabeth McAvoy
- School of Environmental and Public Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Maggie Ohama
- The Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Gainesville, Florida
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Stein BD, Landis RK, Sheng F, Saloner B, Gordon AJ, Sorbero M, Dick AW. Buprenorphine Treatment Episodes During the First Year of COVID: a Retrospective Examination of Treatment Initiation and Retention. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:733-737. [PMID: 36474004 PMCID: PMC9734477 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07891-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID pandemic, overall buprenorphine treatment appeared to remain relatively stable, despite some studies suggesting a decrease in patients starting buprenorphine. There is a paucity of empirical information regarding patterns of buprenorphine treatment during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE To better understand the patterns of buprenorphine episodes during the pandemic and how those patterns compared to pre-pandemic patterns. DESIGN Pharmacy claims representing approximately 92% of all prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. PARTICIPANTS Individuals filling buprenorphine prescriptions indicated for treatment of opioid use disorder. MAIN MEASURES The number of active, starting, and ending buprenorphine treatment episodes March 13 to December 1, 2020, and the expected number of such episodes in 2020 based on the growth in treatment episodes from March 13 to December 1, 2019. KEY RESULTS The observed number of active buprenorphine episodes in December 2020 was comparable to the expected number, but new treatment episodes starting between March 13 and December 1, 2020, were 17.2% fewer than expected based on the 2019 experience. Similarly, the number of episodes that ended between March 13 and December 1, 2020, was 16.0% fewer than expected. Decreases from expected episode starts and ends occurred throughout the period but were greatest in the 2 months after the declaration of the public health emergency. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Beneath the apparent stability of buprenorphine patient numbers during the pandemic, the flow of individuals receiving buprenorphine treatment changed substantially. Our findings shed light on how policy changes meant to support buprenorphine prescribing influenced prescribing dynamics during that period, suggesting that while policy efforts may have been successful in maintaining existing patients in treatment, that success did not extend to individuals not yet in treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
| | - Rachel K Landis
- George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy, Washington, DC, USA.,RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA, USA
| | | | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam J Gordon
- VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Mark Sorbero
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
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Peet ED, Dana B, Sheng FY, Powell D, Shetty K, Stein BD. Trends in the Concurrent Prescription of Opioids and Gabapentin in the US, 2006 to 2018. JAMA Intern Med 2023; 183:162-164. [PMID: 36409473 PMCID: PMC9679956 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.5268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This cohort study examines trends in concurrent gabapentin and opioid prescribing in the US, overall and by prescriber, patient, and county characteristics, between 2006 and 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan D. Peet
- Department of Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, RAND Corporation, Washington, DC
| | - Beth Dana
- Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Flora Yaou Sheng
- Department of Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, RAND Corporation, Washington, DC
| | - David Powell
- Department of Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, RAND Corporation, Washington, DC
| | - Kanaka Shetty
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Bradley D. Stein
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Chen AYA, Opper IM, Dick AW, Stein BD, Kranz AM. Pediatric oral health services in Medicaid managed care and fee for service. Am J Manag Care 2023; 29:104-108. [PMID: 36811985 PMCID: PMC10100644 DOI: 10.37765/ajmc.2023.89319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In 2008, Florida's Medicaid program began reimbursing medical providers for preventive oral health services (POHS) delivered to children aged 6 months to 42 months. We examine whether Medicaid comprehensive managed care (CMC) and fee for service (FFS) had different rates of POHS during pediatric medical visits. STUDY DESIGN Observational study using claims data (2009-2012). METHODS Using repeated cross-sections of 2009-2012 Florida Medicaid data for children 3.5 years or younger, we examined pediatric medical visits. We estimated a weighted logistic regression model to compare POHS rates among visits reimbursed by CMC and FFS Medicaid. The model controlled for FFS (vs CMC), years Florida had a policy allowing POHS in medical settings, an interaction between these 2 variables, and additional child- and county-level characteristics. Results are presented as regression-adjusted predictions. RESULTS Among 1,765,365 weighted well-child medical visits in Florida, POHS were included in 8.33% of CMC-reimbursed visits and 9.67% of FFS-reimbursed visits. Compared with FFS, CMC-reimbursed visits had a nonsignificant 1.29-percentage-point lower adjusted probability of including POHS (P = .25). When examining differences over time, although the POHS rate was 2.72 percentage points lower for CMC-reimbursed visits after 3 years of policy enactment (P = .03), rates were similar overall and increased over time. CONCLUSIONS POHS rates among pediatric medical visits in Florida were similar for visits paid via FFS and CMC, with low rates that increased modestly over time. Our findings are important because more children continue to be enrolled in Medicaid CMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Yu-An Chen
- RAND Corporation, 20 Park Plaza, 9th Floor, Ste 920, Boston, MA 02116.
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Sherry TB, Nguyen T, Dick AW, Bradford AC, Simon K, Stein BD. A National Retrospective Study of Antidepressants' Effects on Overdose and Self-Harm Among Adults Treated With Opioid Analgesics. Psychiatr Serv 2023; 74:24-30. [PMID: 35770423 PMCID: PMC10654712 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20220070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Because individuals with a history of depression who are receiving opioids are at higher risk for adverse events, the authors examined whether antidepressant treatment reduces risk for overdose and self-harm among individuals with a history of depression who receive opioids. METHODS Commercial insurance claims of individuals with a history of depression receiving opioids from 2007 to 2017 were used to quantify the association between antidepressant fills and adverse events among individuals after initiation of opioid treatment; the authors accounted for selection into treatment and used discrete-time, proportional hazards survival models. RESULTS Among 283,374 adults with a history of depression treatment, 8,203 experienced 47,486 adverse events from 2007 to 2017 in the 12 months after initiation of opioid treatment. Approximately half (N=144,052, 50.8%) filled an antidepressant prescription at least once in the 12 months after the opioid episode began. Individuals receiving antidepressants for at least 6 weeks had a reduced risk for any adverse event (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.65-0.97) as well as a reduced risk for opioid overdoses (AOR=0.78, 95% CI=0.64-0.96), overdoses from nonopioid controlled substances (AOR=0.76, 95% CI=0.62-0.94), overdoses from other substances (AOR=0.79, 95% CI=0.65-0.97), and other self-harm events (AOR=0.82, 95% CI=0.67-1.00). CONCLUSIONS Individuals with a history of depression who received opioid analgesics had a significantly lower risk for overdose and self-harm after they had been taking antidepressants for at least 6 weeks. Universal screening for mood disorders among individuals receiving opioids, and promptly providing evidence-based depression treatment when appropriate, may reduce adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tisamarie B Sherry
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia (Sherry), Boston (Dick), and Pittsburgh (Stein); Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Nguyen); O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington (Bradford, Simon)
| | - Thuy Nguyen
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia (Sherry), Boston (Dick), and Pittsburgh (Stein); Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Nguyen); O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington (Bradford, Simon)
| | - Andrew W Dick
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia (Sherry), Boston (Dick), and Pittsburgh (Stein); Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Nguyen); O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington (Bradford, Simon)
| | - Ashley C Bradford
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia (Sherry), Boston (Dick), and Pittsburgh (Stein); Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Nguyen); O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington (Bradford, Simon)
| | - Kosali Simon
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia (Sherry), Boston (Dick), and Pittsburgh (Stein); Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Nguyen); O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington (Bradford, Simon)
| | - Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia (Sherry), Boston (Dick), and Pittsburgh (Stein); Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Nguyen); O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington (Bradford, Simon)
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Abstract
All Medicaid programs pay for fluoride varnish applications during medical visits for infants and toddlers, but receipt of care varies considerably across states. Using 2006-2014 Medicaid data from 22 states, this study examined the association between Medicaid payment and receipt of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits. Among 3,393,638 medical visits, fewer than one in 10 visits included fluoride varnish. Higher Medicaid payment was positively associated with receipt of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits. As policymakers consider strategies for increasing young children's access to preventive oral health services, as well as consider strategies for balancing budgets, attention should be paid to the effects of provider payment on access to pediatric oral health services.
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Landis RK, Opper I, Saloner B, Gordon AJ, Leslie DL, Sorbero M, Stein BD. Buprenorphine treatment episode duration, dosage, and concurrent prescribing of benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics: The effects of Medicaid prior authorization policies. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 241:109669. [PMID: 36332589 PMCID: PMC10695272 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Buprenorphine is an effective medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), but the association between prior authorization policies and quality of care for individuals receiving buprenorphine treatment is not well-understood. METHODS Using 2006-2013 Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) data from 34 states and the District of Columbia, we identified 294,031 episodes of buprenorphine treatment for OUD among individuals aged 14-64 years. We estimated generalized difference-in-differences models to examine the association between buprenorphine prior authorization policies and changes in buprenorphine treatment quality along four dimensions: (1) duration of at least 180 days, (2) dosage of at least 8 milligrams, and concurrent prescribing of (3) opioid analgesics and (4) benzodiazepines. RESULTS Buprenorphine prior authorization policies were associated with an 11-percentage point reduction (p < 0.01) in the likelihood of episodes with a duration of at least 180 days in the first four years after policy implementation. The policy was not associated with changes in effective dosage or concurrent prescribing of opioid analgesics or benzodiazepines. CONCLUSIONS Buprenorphine prior authorization policies were associated with a sizeable and significant reduction in episodes of at least 180 days duration, underscoring the importance of identifying and removing barriers to effective and appropriate OUD care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Landis
- RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202, USA.
| | - Isaac Opper
- RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA.
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA; Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Douglas L Leslie
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Center for Applied Studies in Health Economics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
| | - Mark Sorbero
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Landis RK, Levin JS, Saloner B, Gordon AJ, Dick AW, Sherry TB, Leslie DL, Sorbero M, Stein BD. Sociodemographic differences in quality of treatment to Medicaid enrollees receiving buprenorphine. Subst Abus 2022; 43:1057-1071. [PMID: 35442178 PMCID: PMC9945372 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2022.2060424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Background: Buprenorphine is a key medication to treat opioid use disorder, but little is known about how treatment quality varies across sociodemographic groups. Objective: We examined measures of treatment quality and explored variation by sociodemographic factors. Methods: We used Medicaid MAX data from 50 states from 2006 to 2014 to identify buprenorphine treatment episodes (N = 317,494). We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the quality of buprenorphine treatment along four dimensions: (1) sufficient duration, (2) effective dosage, and concurrent prescribing of (3) opioid analgesics and (4) benzodiazepines. We explored how quality varied by race/ethnicity, age, sex, and urbanicity. Results: In adjusted models, compared to non-Hispanic White individuals, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic individuals had lower odds of receiving effective dosage (aORs = 0.79 and 0.89, respectively) and sufficient duration (aORs = 0.64 and 0.71, respectively), and lower odds of concurrent prescribing of opioid analgesics (aORs = 0.86 and 0.85, respectively) and benzodiazepines (aORs = 0.51 and 0.59, respectively). Older individuals had higher odds of sufficient duration (aORs from 1.21-1.33), but also had higher odds of concurrent opioid analgesics prescribing (aORs from 1.29-1.56) and benzodiazepines (aORs from 1.44-1.99). Females had higher odds of sufficient duration (aOR = 1.12), but lower odds of effective dosage (aOR = 0.77) and higher odds of concurrent prescribing of opioid analgesics (aOR = 1.25) and benzodiazepines (aOR = 1.16). Compared to individuals living in metropolitan areas, individuals living in non-metropolitan areas had higher odds of sufficient duration (aORs = 1.11 and 1.24) and effective dosage (aORs = 1.06 and 1.33), and lower odds of concurrent prescribing (aORs from 0.81-0.98). Conclusions: Black and Hispanic individuals were less likely to receive effective buprenorphine dosage and sufficient duration. Quality results were mixed for older and female individuals; although these individuals were more likely to receive treatment of sufficient duration, they were also more likely to be concurrently prescribed potentially contraindicated medications, and females were less likely to receive effective dosage. Findings raise concerns about adequacy of care for minority and other at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K. Landis
- George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, Washington, DC, USA
- RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA, USA
| | | | - Brendan Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam J. Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center (IDEAS), Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Andrew W. Dick
- RAND Corporation, 20 Park Plaza, Suite 920, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Douglas L. Leslie
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Center for Applied Studies in Health Economics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Mark Sorbero
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bradley D. Stein
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Harrison JM, Kerber R, Andraka-Christou B, Sorbero M, Stein BD. State Policies and Buprenorphine Prescribing by Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. Med Care Res Rev 2022; 79:789-797. [PMID: 35435071 PMCID: PMC10088360 DOI: 10.1177/10775587221086489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nurse practitioner (NP) and physician assistant (PA) prescribing can increase access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. In this cross-sectional study, we used deidentified claims from approximately 90% of U.S. retail pharmacies (2017-2018) to examine the association of state policies with the odds of receiving buprenorphine treatment from an NP/PA versus a physician, overall and stratified by urban/rural status. From 2017 to 2018, the percentage of buprenorphine treatment episodes prescribed by NPs/PAs varied widely across states, from 0.4% in Alabama to 57.2% in Montana. Policies associated with greater odds of buprenorphine treatment from an NP/PA included full scope of practice (SOP) for NPs, full SOP for PAs, Medicaid pay parity for NPs (reimbursement at 100% of the fee-for-service physician rate), and Medicaid expansion. Although most findings with respect to policies were similar in urban and rural settings, the association of Medicaid expansion with NP/PA buprenorphine treatment was driven by rural counties.
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Cummings JR, Shellman MH, Stein BD, Asplund J, Lin H, Serban N. Association Between In-Home Treatment and Engagement in Psychosocial Services Among Medicaid-Enrolled Youth. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 61:1351-1361. [PMID: 35427731 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prior studies have identified low rates of engagement in mental health (MH) services in clinic settings among children enrolled in Medicaid. Yet, little is known about whether the delivery of in-home MH treatment (in which the clinician travels to the child's home) improves engagement for this population. This study examines the association between the delivery of in-home psychosocial treatment and engagement in services among Medicaid-enrolled youth. METHOD We used 2010 to 2014 Georgia Medicaid claims data to identify 53,508 children and adolescents (aged 5-17 years) with a MH diagnosis that initiated new psychosocial treatment. We estimated regression models controlling for covariates to examine the relationship of the receipt of any in-home psychosocial treatment in the home setting with 3 outcome measures of engagement: receipt of at least 4 psychosocial visits during the first 12 weeks; total number of psychosocial visits during the first 12 weeks; and total duration of service use. RESULTS Those who received any in-home psychosocial treatment (compared to those who did not) had 4.3 times the odds (odds ratio = 4.3, 95% CI = 4.0, 4.7) of receiving at least 4 visits during the first 12 weeks, had 4.5 (95% CI = 4.3, 4.7) more predicted visits during the first 12 weeks, and had a longer treatment episode duration (mean rate ratio = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.48,1.59). CONCLUSION Although many Medicaid-enrolled youth do not receive a sufficient number of MH services to achieve positive outcomes, our findings suggest that providing in-home psychosocial treatment can improve service engagement and potentially help address this challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet R Cummings
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Melody H Shellman
- School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
| | | | - John Asplund
- School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; Metron, Inc., Reston, Virginia
| | - Hannah Lin
- School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
| | - Nicoleta Serban
- School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
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Cantor JH, DeYoreo M, Hanson R, Kofner A, Kravitz D, Salas A, Stein BD, Kapinos KA. Patterns in Geographic Distribution of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities in the US and Accepted Forms of Payment From 2010 to 2021. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2241128. [PMID: 36367729 PMCID: PMC9652758 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.41128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance The drug overdose crisis is a continuing public health problem and is expected to grow substantially in older adults. Understanding the geographic accessibility to a substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facility that accepts Medicare can inform efforts to address this crisis in older adults. Objective To assess whether geographic accessibility of services was limited for older adults despite the increasing need for SUD and opioid use disorder treatments in this population. Design, Setting, and Participants This longitudinal cross-sectional study obtained data on all licensed SUD treatment facilities for all US counties and Census tracts listed in the National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs from 2010 to 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures Measures included the national proportion of treatment facilities accepting Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or cash as a form of payment; the proportion of counties with a treatment facility accepting each form of payment; and the proportion of the national population with Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or cash payment residing within a 15-, 30-, or 60-minute driving time from an SUD treatment facility accepting their form of payment in 2021. Results A total of 11 709 SUD treatment facilities operated across the US per year between 2010 and 2021 (140 507 facility-year observations). Cash was the most commonly accepted form of payment (increasing slightly from 91.0% in 2010 to 91.6% by 2021), followed by private insurance (increasing from 63.5% to 75.3%), Medicaid (increasing from 54.0% to 71.8%), and Medicare (increasing from 32.1% to 41.9%). The proportion of counties with a treatment facility that accepted Medicare as a form of payment also increased over the same study period from 41.2% to 53.8%, whereas the proportion of counties with a facility that accepted Medicaid as a form of payment increased from 53.5% to 67.1%. The proportion of Medicare beneficiaries with a treatment facility that accepted Medicare as a form of payment within a 15-minute driving time increased from 53.3% to 57.0%. The proportion of individuals with a treatment facility within a 15-minute driving time that accepted their respective form of payment was 73.2% for those with Medicaid, 69.8% for those with private insurance, and 71.4% for those with cash payment in 2021. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this study suggest that Medicare beneficiaries have less geographic accessibility to SUD treatment facilities given that acceptance of Medicare is low compared with other forms of payment. Policy makers need to consider increasing reimbursement rates and using additional incentives to encourage the acceptance of Medicare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kandice A. Kapinos
- RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia
- Peter J. O’Donnell School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
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Radovic A, Li Y, Landsittel D, Odenthal KR, Stein BD, Miller E. A Social Media Website (Supporting Our Valued Adolescents) to Support Treatment Uptake for Adolescents With Depression or Anxiety: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health 2022; 9:e35313. [PMID: 36206044 PMCID: PMC9587493 DOI: 10.2196/35313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescents with depression or anxiety initiate mental health treatment in low numbers. Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA) is a peer support website intervention for adolescents seen in primary care settings and their parents with the goal of increasing treatment uptake through changing negative health beliefs, enhancing knowledge, offering peer emotional support, and increasing parent-adolescent communication about mental health. OBJECTIVE This pilot study aimed to refine recruitment and retention strategies, refine document intervention fidelity, and explore changes in study outcomes (the primary outcome being treatment uptake). METHODS We conducted a 2-group, single-blind, pilot randomized controlled trial in a single adolescent medicine clinic. Participants were aged 12 to 19 years with clinician-identified symptoms of depression or anxiety for which a health care provider recommended treatment. The patient and parent, if interested, were randomized to receive the SOVA websites and enhanced usual care (EUC) compared with EUC alone. Baseline, 6-week, and 3-month measures were collected using a web-based self-report survey and blinded electronic health record review. The main pilot outcomes assessed were the feasibility of recruitment and retention strategies. Implementation outcomes, intervention fidelity, missingness, and adequacy of safety protocols were documented. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize mental health service use and target measures with 2-sample t tests to compare differences between arms. RESULTS Less than half of the adolescents who were offered patient education material (195/461, 42.2%) were referred by their clinician to the study. Of 146 adolescents meeting the inclusion criteria, 38 completed the baseline survey, qualifying them for randomization, and 25 (66%, 95% CI 51%-81%) completed the 6-week measures. There was limited engagement in the treatment arm, with 45% (5/11) of adolescents who completed 6-week measures reporting accessing SOVA, and most of those who did not access cited forgetting as the reason. Changes were found in target factors at 6 weeks but not in per-protocol analyses. At 12 weeks, 83% (15/18) of adolescents randomized to SOVA received mental health treatment as compared with 50% (10/20) of adolescents randomized to EUC (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS In this pilot trial of a peer support website intervention for adolescents with depression or anxiety, we found lower-than-expected study enrollment after recruitment. Although generalizability may be enhanced by not requiring parental permission for adolescent participation in the trials of mental health interventions, this may limit study recruitment and retention. We found that implementing education introducing the study into provider workflow was feasible and acceptable, resulting in almost 500 study referrals. Finally, although not the primary outcome, we found a signal for greater uptake of mental health treatment in the arm using the SOVA intervention than in the usual care arm. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03318666; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03318666. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/12117.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Radovic
- Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Yaming Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Doug Landsittel
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Kayla R Odenthal
- Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | | | - Elizabeth Miller
- Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Cohrs AC, Husnul Khotimah DE, Dick AW, Stein BD, Pacula RL, Druss BG, Kim K, Leslie DL. Spatial and temporal trends in the diagnosis of opioid-related problems in commercially-insured adolescents and young adults. Prev Med 2022; 163:107194. [PMID: 35970406 PMCID: PMC10654710 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the extent to which the prevalence of opioid-related problems (ORPs) varies among U.S. adolescents and young adults across geographic regions and over time, information that can help to guide policies that aim to curb the opioid epidemic. A retrospective, cross-sectional design was used to analyze longitudinal claims data from privately insured individuals aged 12-64 years who had an outpatient or inpatient diagnosis of an ORP in the years 2005-2018. The prevalence of opioid-related problem diagnoses (per 10,000) varied considerably across census divisions, both over time and between age groups. Knowledge of the origin of and variation in diagnosed opioid-related problems in terms of age group and census division is important so that interventions and policies can be more targeted and effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin C Cohrs
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America.
| | - Diah E Husnul Khotimah
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Andrew W Dick
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | | | - Rosalie Liccardo Pacula
- Sol Price School of Public Policy, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Benjamin G Druss
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Kyungha Kim
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Douglas L Leslie
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
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Smart R, Grant S, Gordon AJ, Pacula RL, Stein BD. Expert Panel Consensus on State-Level Policies to Improve Engagement and Retention in Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. JAMA Health Forum 2022; 3:e223285. [PMID: 36218944 PMCID: PMC10041351 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.3285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance In the US, recent legislation and regulations have been considered, proposed, and implemented to improve the quality of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). However, insufficient empirical evidence exists to identify which policies are feasible to implement and successfully improve patient and population-level outcomes. Objective To examine expert consensus on the effectiveness and the ability to implement state-level OUD treatment policies. Evidence Review This qualitative study used the ExpertLens online platform to conduct a 3-round modified Delphi process to convene 66 stakeholders (health care clinicians, social service practitioners, addiction researchers, health policy decision-makers, policy advocates, and persons with lived experience). Stakeholders participated in 1 of 2 expert panels on 14 hypothetical state-level policies targeting treatment engagement and linkage, evidence-based and integrated care, treatment flexibility, and monitoring or support services. Participants rated policies in round 1, discussed results in round 2, and provided final ratings in round 3. Participants used 4 criteria associated with either the effectiveness or implementability to rate and discuss each policy. The effectiveness panel (n = 29) considered policy effects on treatment engagement, treatment retention, OUD remission, and opioid overdose mortality. The implementation panel (n = 34) considered the acceptability, feasibility, affordability, and equitability of each policy. We measured consensus using the interpercentile range adjusted for symmetry analysis technique from the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method. Findings Both panels reached consensus on all items. Experts viewed 2 policies (facilitated access to medications for OUD and automatic Medicaid enrollment for citizens returning from correctional settings) as highly implementable and highly effective in improving patient and population-level outcomes. Participants rated hub-and-spoke-type policies and provision of financial incentives to emergency departments for treatment linkage as effective; however, they also rated these policies as facing implementation barriers associated with feasibility and affordability. Coercive policies and policies levying additional requirements on individuals with OUD receiving treatment (eg, drug toxicology testing, counseling requirements) were viewed as low-value policies (ie, decreasing treatment engagement and retention, increasing overdose mortality, and increasing health inequities). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study may provide urgently needed consensus on policies for states to consider either adopting or deimplementing in their efforts to address the opioid overdose crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Smart
- Economics, Sociology, and Statistics Department, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.,Drug Policy Research Center, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Sean Grant
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City.,Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Rosalie Liccardo Pacula
- Sol Price School of Public Policy and Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Bradley D Stein
- Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Cantor JH, Whaley CM, Stein BD, Powell D. Analysis of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Admissions in the US by Sex and Race and Ethnicity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2232795. [PMID: 36136336 PMCID: PMC9500559 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.32795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study examines the changes in treatment admissions for substance use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic by sex and race and ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H. Cantor
- Department of Healthcare Delivery, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | | | - Bradley D. Stein
- Department of Healthcare Delivery, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David Powell
- Department of Healthcare Delivery, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
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45
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Levin JS, Landis RK, Sorbero M, Dick AW, Saloner B, Stein BD. Differences in buprenorphine treatment quality across physician provider specialties. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 237:109510. [PMID: 35753279 PMCID: PMC10105978 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number and types of clinicians prescribing buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) have increased over the past two decades, but there is little information on how potential indicators of quality of care to patients receiving buprenorphine vary by provider specialty. METHODS We used the Medicaid Analytic eXtract from 2009 to 2014 to identify buprenorphine treatment episodes. We assigned physician specialties to episodes based on whether an episode had at least one outpatient claim linked to specialists in addiction, behavioral health, opioid treatment program (OTP), pain, or primary care provider (PCP). We then used logistic regressions to estimate the association of linked physician specialty and achievement of the following process of care measures: at least 180-day duration, no co-occurring opioid analgesics, no co-occurring benzodiazepines, infectious disease screening, liver function test, drug and toxicology screenings, evaluation and management visits, and counseling. RESULTS Episodes linked to PCPs had significantly lower odds of achieving 180-day duration, an absence of opioid analgesics, an absence of benzodiazepines, drug and toxicology screenings, and counseling compared to addiction, behavioral health, and/or OTPs. Episodes linked to PCPs had significantly higher odds of undergoing infectious disease screenings, liver function tests, and evaluation and management visits compared to all specialty categories. CONCLUSIONS Episodes were more likely to achieve process of care measures related to the specialties of their physicians, but no specialty consistently demonstrated better performance compared to PCPs. Our findings highlight the need for models that can better integrate physical and behavioral health services for OUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel K Landis
- RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA, USA; George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mark Sorbero
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Andrew W Dick
- RAND Corporation, 20 Park Plaza, Suite 920, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Griffin BA, Schuler MS, Pane J, Patrick SW, Smart R, Stein BD, Grimm G, Stuart EA. Methodological considerations for estimating policy effects in the context of co-occurring policies. Health Serv Outcomes Res Methodol 2022; 23:149-165. [PMID: 37207017 PMCID: PMC10072919 DOI: 10.1007/s10742-022-00284-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how best to estimate state-level policy effects is important, and several unanswered questions remain, particularly about the ability of statistical models to disentangle the effects of concurrently enacted policies. In practice, many policy evaluation studies do not attempt to control for effects of co-occurring policies, and this issue has not received extensive attention in the methodological literature to date. In this study, we utilized Monte Carlo simulations to assess the impact of co-occurring policies on the performance of commonly-used statistical models in state policy evaluations. Simulation conditions varied effect sizes of the co-occurring policies and length of time between policy enactment dates, among other factors. Outcome data (annual state-specific opioid mortality rate per 100,000) were obtained from 1999 to 2016 National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) Multiple Cause of Death mortality files, thus yielding longitudinal annual state-level data over 18 years from 50 states. When co-occurring policies are ignored (i.e., omitted from the analytic model), our results demonstrated that high relative bias (> 82%) arises, particularly when policies are enacted in rapid succession. Moreover, as expected, controlling for all co-occurring policies will effectively mitigate the threat of confounding bias; however, effect estimates may be relatively imprecise (i.e., larger variance) when policies are enacted in near succession. Our findings highlight several key methodological issues regarding co-occurring policies in the context of opioid-policy research yet also generalize more broadly to evaluation of other state-level policies, such as policies related to firearms or COVID-19, showcasing the need to think critically about co-occurring policies that are likely to influence the outcome when specifying analytic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Ann Griffin
- RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 USA
| | - Megan S. Schuler
- RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 USA
| | | | - Stephen W. Patrick
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center and School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | | | | | - Geoffrey Grimm
- RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 USA
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Andraka-Christou B, Saloner B, Gordon AJ, Totaram R, Randall-Kosich O, Golan M, Stein BD. Laws for expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder: a legal analysis of 16 states & Washington D.C. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2022; 48:492-503. [PMID: 35772010 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2082301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Background: Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs) are the gold standard for OUD treatment but are underused. To our knowledge, no published study has systematically identified and categorized state policy innovations for expanding MOUD utilization.Objective: We sought to identify and categorize state MOUD policy innovations.Methods: Within a stratified random sample of 16 U.S. states and Washington D.C. we searched for 2019 state statutes and regulations related to MOUD in Westlaw legal database. We then identified laws that appeared designed to increase MOUD utilization and categorized them using a template analysis approach.Results: We found 82 laws with one or more MOUD expansion policies. We identified six high-level MOUD expansion policy categories: 1) policies expanding the availability of waivered buprenorphine providers; 2) needs assessments and policies increasing public MOUD awareness; 3) criminal justice system policies; 4) Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and sober living facility policies; 5) insurance policies; and 6) hospital policies. SUD treatment and housing facility policies, as well as insurance policies, were most common.Conclusions: Multipronged approaches are being pursued by several states to increase MOUD access. Our results can inform policymakers of MOUD expansion approaches in other jurisdictions. Policy categories can serve as the basis for policy variables for future analyses of policy effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine (Secondary Joint Appointment), University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam J Gordon
- and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care SystemInformatics, Decision-Enhancement, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Rachel Totaram
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
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Abstract
Importance The opioid crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, with concerns over major disruptions to medication treatment of opioid use disorder. Objective To investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with disruption of buprenorphine and methadone supplies in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants This repeated cross-sectional study used ARCOS (Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System) data, which monitor the flow of controlled substances in the US, from January 1, 2012, through June 30, 2021. Manufacturers and point of sale or distribution at the dispensing or retail level, including hospitals, retail pharmacies, clinicians, midlevel clinicians, and teaching institutions, were included in the analysis. Exposures COVID-19 pandemic. Main Outcomes and Measures Quarterly supplies of buprenorphine and methadone per capita in milligrams. Results The per capita supply of methadone dropped from 13.2 mg in the first quarter of 2020 to 10.5 mg in the second quarter of 2020, whereas the per capita supply of buprenorphine increased from 3.6 mg to 3.7 mg in the same period. The per capita supply of methadone declined 20% (-2.7 mg) in the second quarter of 2020 compared with the first quarter of 2020, and the supply had not returned to 2019 levels as of June 2021, whereas the supply of buprenorphine per person increased consistently during the same period. There were considerable state disparities in the reduction of the methadone supply during the pandemic, with many states experiencing pronounced per capita supply decreases, including reductions as great as 50% in New Hampshire and Florida. These decreases in per capita methadone supply were not compensated by proportional increases in the per capita buprenorphine supply (linear fit, 0.17 [95% CI, -0.43 to 0.76]; P = .47). Conclusions and Relevance This cross-sectional study of buprenorphine and methadone supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic found a pronounced decline in the methadone supply but no disruption to the buprenorphine supply. Future research is needed to explain the pronounced state disparities in the methadone supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Y. Chen
- RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts
- Pardee RAND Graduate School, Santa Monica, California
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Andraka-Christou B, Gordon AJ, Spetz J, Totaram R, Golan M, Randall-Kosich O, Harrison J, Calder S, Kertesz SG, Stein BD. Beyond state scope of practice laws for advanced practitioners: Additional supervision requirements for buprenorphine prescribing. J Subst Abuse Treat 2022; 138:108715. [PMID: 35067400 PMCID: PMC9167216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Buprenorphine is a life-saving medication for people with opioid use disorder (OUD). U.S. federal law allows advanced practice clinicians (APCs), such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs), to obtain a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine in office-based practices. However, states regulate APCs' scope of practice (SOP) variously, including requirements for physician supervision. States may also have laws entirely banning NP/PA buprenorphine prescribing or requiring that supervising physicians have a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine. We sought to identify prevalence of state laws other than SOP laws that either 1) prohibit NP/PA buprenorphine prescribing entirely, or 2) require supervision by a federally waivered physician. METHODS We searched for state statutes and regulations in all 50 states and Washington D.C. regulating prescribing of buprenorphine for OUD by APCs during summer 2021. We excluded general scope of practice laws, laws only applicable to Medicaid-funded clinicians, laws not applicable to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and laws only applicable to NPs/PAs serving licensed SUD treatment facilities. We then conducted content analysis. RESULTS One state prohibits all APCs from prescribing buprenorphine for OUD, even though the state's general SOP laws permit APC buprenorphine prescribing. Five states require PA supervision by a federally waivered physician. Three states require NP supervision by a federally waivered physician. CONCLUSIONS Aside from general scope of practice laws, several states have created laws explicitly regulating buprenorphine prescribing by APCs outside of licensed state SUD facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States of America; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States of America.
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center of Innovation, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America; Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America; Vulnerable Veteran Innovative PACT (VIP) Initiative, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Joanne Spetz
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Rachel Totaram
- School of Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Matthew Golan
- School of Law, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Olivia Randall-Kosich
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | | | - Spencer Calder
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center of Innovation, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America; Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America; Vulnerable Veteran Innovative PACT (VIP) Initiative, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Stefan G Kertesz
- Birmingham, Alabama VA Health Care System, Birmingham, AL, United States of America; Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
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Alegría M, Falgas-Bague I, Fukuda M, Zhen-Duan J, Weaver C, O’Malley I, Layton T, Wallace J, Zhang L, Markle S, Neighbors C, Lincourt P, Hussain S, Manseau M, Stein BD, Rigotti N, Wakeman S, Kane M, Evins AE, McGuire T. Performance Metrics of Substance Use Disorder Care Among Medicaid Enrollees in New York, New York. JAMA Health Forum 2022; 3:e221771. [PMID: 35977217 PMCID: PMC9250047 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.1771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance There is limited evaluation of the performance of Medicaid managed care (MMC) private plans in covering substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Objective To compare the performance of MMC plans across 19 indicators of access, quality, and outcomes of SUD treatment. Design Setting and Participants This cross-sectional study used administrative claims and mandatory assignment to plans of up to 159 016 adult Medicaid recipients residing in 1 of the 5 counties (boroughs) of New York, New York, from January 2009 to December 2017 to identify differences in SUD treatment access, patterns, and outcomes among different types of MMC plans. Data from the latest years were received from the New York State Department of Health in October 2019, and analysis began soon thereafter. Approximately 17% did not make an active choice of plan, and a subset of these (approximately 4%) can be regarded as randomly assigned. Exposures Plan assignment. Main Outcomes and Measures Percentage of the enrollees achieving performance measures across 19 indicators of access, process, and outcomes of SUD treatment. Results Medicaid claims data from 159 016 adults (mean [SD] age, 35.9 [12.7] years; 74 261 women [46.7%]; 8746 [5.5%] Asian, 73 783 [46.4%] Black, and 40 549 [25.5%] White individuals) who were auto assigned to an MMC plan were analyzed. Consistent with national patterns, all plans achieved less than 50% (range, 0%-62.1%) on most performance measures. Across all plans, there were low levels of treatment engagement for alcohol (range, 0%-0.4%) and tobacco treatment (range, 0.8%-7.2%), except for engagement for opioid disorder treatment (range, 41.5%-61.4%). For access measures, 4 of the 9 plans performed significantly higher than the mean on recognition of an SUD diagnosis, any service use for the first time, and tobacco use screening. Of the process measures, total monthly expenditures on SUD treatment was the only measure for which plans differed significantly from the mean. Outcome measures differed little across plans. Conclusions and Relevance The results of this cross-sectional study suggest the need for progress in engaging patients in SUD treatment and improvement in the low performance of SUD care and limited variation in MMC plans in New York, New York. Improvement in the overall performance of SUD treatment in Medicaid potentially depends on general program improvements, not moving recipients among plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Alegría
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Irene Falgas-Bague
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marie Fukuda
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Jenny Zhen-Duan
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Cole Weaver
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Isabel O’Malley
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Timothy Layton
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jacob Wallace
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lulu Zhang
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Sheri Markle
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Charles Neighbors
- Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York
- Wagner School of Public Service, New York University, New York
| | - Pat Lincourt
- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Albany, New York
| | - Shazia Hussain
- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Albany, New York
| | - Marc Manseau
- Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York
- New York State Office of Mental Health, New York
| | | | - Nancy Rigotti
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Tobacco Research and Treatment Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Sarah Wakeman
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Substance Use Disorder Initiative, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Martha Kane
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Addictions Services Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - A. Eden Evins
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Addiction Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Thomas McGuire
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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