In many ways, Medicaid is at the center of the opioid epidemic. The epidemic disproportionately affects Medicaid beneficiaries and state Medicaid programs are taking the lead in identifying and tailoring strategies to prevent and treat opioid use disorders and reduce overdose deaths.
This presentation summarizes a draft chapter in MACPAC’s forthcoming June 2017 report to Congress, describing how the opioid epidemic affects Medicaid beneficiaries and the strategies state Medicaid programs are using to address this crisis. The presentation includes data on prevalence of opioid use, opioid use disorders, treatment utilization by insurance status, Medicaid coverage of substance use disorder treatment, and challenges to improving treatment access.