Association of State Policies for Unwinding Medicaid's Continuous Enrollment Provision with Changes in Buprenorphine Treatment

Medicaid is the single largest payer for opioid use disorder treatment, covering nearly 40 percent of nonelderly adults seeking treatment. Enrollment in the program expanded significantly during the pandemic, when the eligibility re-determinations states conducted were suspended to allow continuous coverage for people at risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes. Researchers from RAND will assess how Medicaid disenrollments (or “unwinding”) at the end of public health emergency affect access to buprenorphine treatment for different at-risk populations. This project builds on prior FORE-funded research, which examined changes in buprenorphine prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this project, the researchers will also examine how state-level policies, including stop-gap measures designed to make it easier for people to retain coverage, affected continuity of care.