Key Takeaways

Medicaid helps people with opioid addiction get treatmentBuprenorphine rates rose in states that expanded MedicaidAt the same time, they fell slightly among states that didn’t expand the program

TUESDAY, Sept. 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Medicaid serves a key role in helping opioid addicts get the treatment they need, a new study says.

Prescription rates for the anti-opioid medication buprenorphine increased more than 27% in states that expanded Medicaid between 2018 and 2024, researchers reported in the September issue of the journal Health Affairs .

By comparison, buprenorphine prescriptions fell 2% among states that didn’t expand Medicaid, researchers found.

“We were impressed by the success stories in some states, such as those with recent eligibility expansions

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