How high insurance deductibles and the 2020 public health emergency changed access to alcohol treatment
Impact of high deductible health plans and the 2020 public health emergency on alcohol use disorder treatment access, outcomes, and subpopulations
This project looks at whether higher insurance deductibles and the COVID-19 public health emergency made it harder for adults with alcohol use disorder—especially lower-income and rural people—to get treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11161484 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the patient perspective, researchers will use large U.S. insurance and health care records to see who received medications and counseling for alcohol use disorder before and after key changes. They will compare adults whose employers switched to high-deductible health plans with those who did not and will examine effects of the 2020 public health emergency on care use. The team will look for differences by income level, rural versus urban residence, and other subgroups to spot who was most affected. Findings will focus on real-world treatment access and outcomes recorded in routine care data.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The results are most relevant to U.S. adults (21+) with alcohol use disorder, particularly those with employer-sponsored insurance, lower incomes, or who live in rural areas.
Not a fit: People without employer-based insurance, children and adolescents, or those already continuously engaged in specialty addiction care may not directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to policy or insurance-design changes that make alcohol use disorder treatment more affordable and easier to reach for people who need it.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links higher out-of-pocket costs and the COVID-19 emergency to reduced health care use, but combining high-deductible plan effects with the 2020 emergency specifically for alcohol use disorder is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wharam, James Franklin — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Wharam, James Franklin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.