Medicaid expansion linked to increased access to opioid addiction treatment, Rutgers study finds
NEW JERSEY — Expansions of Medicaid coverage in recent years have significantly increased access to treatment for opioid use disorder, according to a new study by Rutgers Health researchers.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that Medicaid expansions between 2017 and 2023 led to measurable increases in the use of buprenorphine, a medication commonly used to treat opioid addiction.
Researchers said the findings come at a critical time as opioid overdose deaths remain high nationwide. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80,000 people died from opioid overdoses between October 2023 and September 2024.
“These results arrive at a critical moment for policymakers and health professionals,” said Stephen Crystal, a coauthor of the study and director of the Rutgers Center for Health Services Research.
Medicaid, a joint federal and state program providing low-cost or free health coverage to low-income individuals, plays a key role in treatment access because people with opioid use disorder are disproportionately represented among lower-income populations.
Crystal said earlier research on initial Medicaid expansions did not show major increases in treatment rates but noted that more recent policy changes have altered the landscape.
“did not find major improvements in overall treatment rates, but this new analysis shows that in the current era of treatment policy, where many of the old barriers have been lifted, Medicaid expansion is not just helpful, but essential.”
Researchers analyzed national prescription data and found that more recent Medicaid expansions occurred alongside policy changes that made treatment more accessible, including expanded telehealth services and allowing more clinicians to prescribe medication for opioid use disorder.
“These results could be incredibly important for public policymakers and state governments wrestling with the Medicaid cuts proposed under the recent H.R. 1 federal legislation,” said Nicole Siegal, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral research fellow at Indiana University. “The financial sustainability of Medicaid expansions is under threat, yet this study shows that these expansions are having the kind of widespread impact that earlier research suggested might not be possible.”
The findings suggest Medicaid expansion, combined with broader policy changes, has created a more flexible system for delivering treatment to those in need.
The research is scheduled to be presented at the 2026 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in Seattle.
