Trends in Buprenorphine to Treat Opioid Use Disorder in California, 2012 to 2018: Medicaid Outpaces the Rest of the State. 2021

Iraklis Erik Tseregounis, and James J Gasper, and Stephen G Henry
Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA (IET); Pharmacy Benefits Division, California Department of Health Care Services, Sacramento, CA (JJG); Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA (SGH).

Opioid use disorder remains undertreated in the United States. One of the primary mechanisms for expanding access to treatment has been the use of buprenorphine. In this study, we compare prescribing trends of buprenorphine paid through Medicaid versus other payer sources. Combined data from California's prescription drug monitoring program and California's Department of Health Care Services was used to obtain statewide quarterly prescription rates for buprenorphine, indicated for the treatment of opioid use disorder, from 2012 to 2018. From 2012 to 2018, the rate of individuals treated with buprenorphine in Medicaid increased by 657% (1.39-10.5 Medicaid beneficiaries per 10,000) with increases beginning in 2014 and continuing through 2018. Rate of individual prescribing among non-Medicaid sources increased by 93.7% (6.54-12.7 non-Medicaid individuals per 10,000) with most increases occurring before 2014. California Medicaid has made considerable gains in buprenorphine access, with access growing steadily even after expansions through the Affordable Care Act plateaued. In contrast, recent gains in buprenorphine access for individuals without Medicaid are uninspiring, indicating that initiatives to improve buprenorphine access to patients without Medicaid are urgently needed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008484 Medicaid Federal program, created by Public Law 89-97, Title XIX, a 1965 amendment to the Social Security Act, administered by the states, that provides health care benefits to indigent and medically indigent persons. Dental Medicaid Program,Medical Assistance, Title 19,Dental Medicaid Programs,Medicaid Program, Dental,Medicaid Programs, Dental,Program, Dental Medicaid,Programs, Dental Medicaid
D009293 Opioid-Related Disorders Disorders related to or resulting from abuse or misuse of OPIOIDS. Opiate Addiction,Opiate Dependence,Opioid Misuse,Opioid Use Disorder,Prescription Opioid Abuse,Prescription Opioid Misuse,Addiction, Opioid,Dependence, Opioid,Opiate Abuse,Opioid Abuse,Opioid Addiction,Opioid Dependence,Abuse, Opiate,Abuse, Opioid,Abuse, Prescription Opioid,Addiction, Opiate,Dependence, Opiate,Disorder, Opioid Use,Misuse, Opioid,Misuse, Prescription Opioid,Opiate Abuses,Opioid Abuse, Prescription,Opioid Abuses,Opioid Addictions,Opioid Dependences,Opioid Misuses,Opioid Related Disorders,Opioid Use Disorders,Opioid-Related Disorder,Prescription Opioid Abuses,Prescription Opioid Misuses
D002047 Buprenorphine A derivative of the opioid alkaloid THEBAINE that is a more potent and longer lasting analgesic than MORPHINE. It appears to act as a partial agonist at mu and kappa opioid receptors and as an antagonist at delta receptors. The lack of delta-agonist activity has been suggested to account for the observation that buprenorphine tolerance may not develop with chronic use. 6029-M,Buprenex,Buprenorphine Hydrochloride,Buprex,Prefin,RX-6029-M,Subutex,Temgesic,Temgésic,6029 M,6029M,Hydrochloride, Buprenorphine,RX 6029 M,RX6029M
D002140 California State bounded on the east by Nevada and Arizona, on the south by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and on the north by Oregon.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D058991 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act An Act prohibiting a health plan from establishing lifetime limits or annual limits on the dollar value of benefits for any participant or beneficiary after January 1, 2014. It permits a restricted annual limit for plan years beginning prior to January 1, 2014. It provides that a health plan shall not be prevented from placing annual or lifetime per-beneficiary limits on covered benefits. The Act sets up a competitive health insurance market. Affordable Care Act,Affordable Care Act (ACA),Health Care Reform Act,Obamacare,PL 111-148,PL111-148,Public Law 111-148,111-148, PL,Act, Affordable Care,Acts, Affordable Care,Acts, Affordable Care (ACA),Affordable Care Acts,Care Act, Affordable,Care Act, Affordable (ACA),Care Acts, Affordable,PL 111 148,PL111 148,Public Law 111 148

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