Health insurance disenrollment is associated with greater death risk for opioid use disorder patients, according to a JAMA Psychiatry study published March 4.
The study reviewed patients with both private and public insurance who were at least 16 years old and began buprenorphine or naltrexone for treatment at some point from 2012 through 2021. The patients spanned three integrated health insurance and care delivery systems across two states.
Out of more than 20,000 patients, over one-third were disenrolled from health insurance at some point within two years of starting treatment. In adjusted analyses, any disenrollment was linked to a 51% increase in hazards for mortality overall and a 56% increase in risks for overdose mortality.
All-cause mortality was 4.34 times as likely for disenrolled patients compared to those enrolled and getting treatment. Inconsistencies with medications posed a similar risk for the enrolled group: All-cause mortality for enrolled patients not receiving these medications was 4.19 as likely as those enrolled and being treated.
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