Medicaid coverage policy variations for chronic pain and opioid use disorder treatment

Medicaid coverage policy variations for chronic pain and opioid use disorder treatment
JAMA Network Open; by Meredith C. B. Adams, Seth M. Eller, Cara McDonnell, Sarjona Sritharan, Rishika Chikoti, Amaar Alwani, Elaine L. Hill, Robert W. Hurley; 8/25
Co-occurring chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) are associated with a high disease burden for the patient, requiring comprehensive treatment approaches, yet Medicaid benefit structures for evidence-based therapies vary substantially across states. Our systematic economic evaluation reveals both promising developments and persistent challenges in Medicaid coverage for treatment of co-occurring OUD and chronic pain. Universal coverage of fundamental medications and basic interventional procedures provides a foundation for care, but varying implementation approaches create a complex landscape requiring further investigation.