Fewer than one in five Medicare enrollees with opioid use disorder received any medication treatment, according to a report from HHS’ Office of Inspector General.
The report, published April 15, examined access to buprenorphine for Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. That year, the number of providers prescribing buprenorphine to Medicare Part D enrollees increased by 32%, but the overall share of enrollees receiving treatment remained low.
Here are five things to know:
- In 2023, around 1.2 million Medicare beneficiaries had a diagnosis of opioid use disorder. In 2023, just 18.7% of these beneficiaries received any medication treatment for the condition, up slightly from 15.9% in 2020.
- The share of Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder accessing medication treatment varied widely by state. In Nevada, Texas and Florida, fewer than 10% of beneficiaries receive medication.
- Enrollees without low-income subsidies were less likely to receive medication-assisted treatment than those receiving a subsidy for prescription drug coverage. Female Medicare beneficiaries were less likely to receive medication than male beneficiaries, the OIG found.
- The number of Medicare beneficiaries receiving overdose reversal medications like naloxone reached a record high in 2023. More than 750,000 enrollees received naloxone through Medicare Part D in 2023, up 25% from 2022.
- The OIG recommends CMS conduct additional outreach to Medicare beneficiaries about medication treatment options for opioid use disorder. The watchdog also urged CMS to educate enrollees about options to access opioid reversal drugs. Naloxone is now available over the counter, meaning the drug is no longer covered through Medicare Part D, which could increase out-of-pocket costs for many beneficiaries.
Read the full report here.
