The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has prioritized expanding access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) as an evidence-based treatment. Because many individuals with OUD are Medicaid beneficiaries, this U.S. Governmental Accountability Office report looked at state Medicaid policies and state and federal laws that might act as a barrier to Medicaid patients accessing MAT. The report identified 5 potential access barriers: state Medicaid programs may not be in compliance with federal law requiring Medicaid to provide coverage for all MAT medications; access may be restricted by prior authorization requirements for medications; buy-and-bill physician requirements for injectable and implantable medications may limit access; federal requirements that providers receive a special waiver to prescribe buprenorphine may limit access to medications; and state scope of practice laws may limit the ability of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe MAT.
Funding Source: United States Government Accountability Office
Opioid Use Disorder: Barriers to Medicaid Beneficiaries' Access to Treatment Medications
A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on barriers to Medicaid beneficiaries accessing medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder