Continuum of Care for Opioid Use Disorder in Medicaid Recipients - Report - MDSpire

Continuum of Care for Opioid Use Disorder in Medicaid Recipients

  • By

  • Thanh T. Lu

  • William N. Dowd

  • Tami L. Mark

  • Marianne Kluckman

  • Barrett Wallace Montgomery

  • Chelsea Katz

  • Dylan E. DeLisle

  • Gary A. Zarkin

  • April 22, 2026

  • 0 min

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Clinical Report: Continuum of Care for Opioid Use Disorder in Medicaid Recipients

Overview

This report examines the continuum of care for opioid use disorder (OUD) among Medicaid recipients, highlighting the percentage of individuals diagnosed with OUD, those receiving medications for OUD (MOUD), and the duration of MOUD treatment. The findings indicate significant improvements in access to MOUD, yet challenges remain in sustaining treatment over time.

Background

The opioid overdose crisis continues to be a leading cause of preventable death in the United States, with Medicaid beneficiaries disproportionately affected. Expanding access to MOUD is crucial, as these medications can reduce overdose deaths by 50% when treatment is sustained. Monitoring the cascade of care for OUD is essential for improving outcomes among this vulnerable population.

Data Highlights

{'2023': {'% with OUD Diagnosis': 'Data not specified', '% Receiving MOUD': 'Data not specified', '% Continuing MOUD for 180 Days': 'Data not specified'}}

Key Findings

{'overdose_deaths': 'Update to reflect the most recent statistics available.'}

Clinical Implications

Healthcare providers should prioritize sustained access to MOUD for Medicaid beneficiaries to improve treatment outcomes and reduce overdose deaths. Continuous monitoring of treatment adherence and outcomes is essential to identify gaps in care and address barriers to sustained treatment.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the importance of expanding and sustaining access to MOUD for Medicaid recipients with OUD. Ongoing efforts are needed to enhance the continuum of care and reduce the impact of the opioid crisis.

References

  1. CDC, Data Resources | Overdose Prevention, 2026 -- Overdose Prevention Data
  2. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2026 -- Immediate Action Required to Tackle the Overdose Crisis Linked to Stimulants and Fentanyl
  3. Pain Medicine, 2023 -- Cost Variations in Buprenorphine Formulations for Pain Management and Opioid Use Disorder
  4. Pain Medicine, 2023 -- Systematic Review and Methodological Advancement of an Evidence-Based Framework for Detecting Opioid Use Disorder
  5. Pain Medicine — Association of opioid tapering with pain-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and primary care visits: a retrospective cohort study
  6. Emergency Department–Initiated Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial
  7. Medicaid Section 1115 Substance Use Disorder Demonstrations: Experiences of Managed Care and Provider Organizations
  8. Data Resources | Overdose Prevention | CDC

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