Chapter 3 describes findings from the Commission’s analytic work on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Medicaid. In 2020, the drug overdose death rate was two times higher for Medicaid beneficiaries compared to all U.S. residents. Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) cover a substantial portion of the U.S. population with opioid use disorder (OUD), and the programs have an important role in facilitating access to OUD treatment. In recent years, Congress and federal agencies have approved a variety of policies and funding to improve access to MOUD.
The chapter includes a discussion of recent federal policies and funding that have affected access to MOUD, an overview of MOUD coverage and estimates of use, and barriers to MOUD. The Commission plans to further investigate the use of utilization management practices and how they affect Medicaid beneficiaries’ receipt of timely and effective care.
From: June 2025 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP