Medicaid cuts, work requirements would risk opioid treatment access for thousands of Kentuckians

By Nadia Ramlagan

Public News Service

As Congress continues to push for cuts and additional work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, experts warn more Kentuckians could lose access to treatment for substance use disorders.

The U.S. House has already passed a budget bill , which by some estimates would slash federal spending for Medicaid by around $700 billion.

In 2020, nearly 30% of all Medicaid recipients in Kentucky used at least one substance use disorder service and in 2021, more than 54,000 were receiving treatment for opioid use disorder.

Ashley Spalding, research director at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said the program is critical for people in recovery.

“They’re getting prescription medications that are evidence-based for treating opioid use disorder,” Spa