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Do Policies to Increase Access to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Work?

Author

Listed:
  • Eric Barrette
  • Leemore Dafny
  • Karen Shen

Abstract

Even among commercially-insured individuals, opioid use disorder (OUD) is undertreated in the U.S.: nearly half receive no treatment within 6 months of a new diagnosis. Using a difference-in-differences specification exploiting the extension of insurance parity requirements for substance disorder treatment to small group enrollees in 2014, we find that parity increases utilization of residential treatment but decreases utilization of agonist medications, the standard of care. We find direct interventions to increase access to medication may be more promising: increases in the county-level share of physicians able to prescribe agonists are associated with substitution toward medication-assisted treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Barrette & Leemore Dafny & Karen Shen, 2021. "Do Policies to Increase Access to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Work?," NBER Working Papers 29001, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:29001
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    Cited by:

    1. Lindsey Rose Bullinger & Vivian Wang & Kenneth A. Feder, 2022. "Effects of Opioid Treatment Programs on Child Well-Being," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 703(1), pages 79-105, September.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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