How Medicaid prescription limits affect treatment for opioid use disorder
Impact of Medicaid Prescription Cap Policies on Treatment Outcomes for Opioid Use Disorder: A National Mixed Methods Study
This project looks at whether state Medicaid rules that cap monthly prescriptions make it harder for people with opioid use disorder to get and stay on medications like methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314541 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have opioid use disorder and are on Medicaid, researchers will use large national Medicaid records to see how prescription caps change medication fills and health outcomes. They will also talk with patients and providers to learn why people might skip medications or trade off between drugs. The team will compare states with and without prescription caps and focus on people who also have chronic conditions such as mental illness, chronic pain, or HIV. The combined data and interviews are meant to explain both the scope of the problem and the reasons behind missed treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are U.S. Medicaid enrollees with opioid use disorder, especially those who are prescribed or need methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone and those with other chronic health conditions.
Not a fit: People who are not enrolled in Medicaid or who do not have opioid use disorder are unlikely to be directly affected by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform Medicaid policy changes that make it easier for low-income people to get and stay on effective medications for opioid use disorder.
How similar studies have performed: A few older studies have linked prescription caps to worse health in the general Medicaid population, but this is the first large national mixed-methods focus specifically on people with opioid use disorder.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hughto, Jaclyn White — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Hughto, Jaclyn White
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.