Medicaid Unwinding and Changes in Buprenorphine Dispensing

In this cross-sectional study using difference-in-differences analysis, Medicaid patients in states with the highest vs lowest magnitude of Medicaid disenrollment through December 2023 were more likely to decrease or discontinue buprenorphine use and more likely to transition to private insurance or cash to pay for prescriptions. Findings suggest that Medicaid unwinding was associated with disruptions in buprenorphine therapy, raising concerns about the potential for increased opioid-related morbidity and mortality among patients in this population.