National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 7 of 7 Research Studies DisplayedEddelbuettel JCP, Barry CL, Kennedy-Hendricks A
High-deductible health plans and nonfatal opioid overdose.
This study examined whether an employer offering a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) had an impact on nonfatal opioid overdose among commercially insured individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States. The authors used deidentified insurance claims data from 2007 to 2017 with 97,788 person-years. They estimated the change in the probability of a nonfatal opioid overdose among enrollees with OUD whose employers began offering an HDHP insurance option during the study period compared with the change among those whose employer never offered an HDHP. Across both groups, 2% of the sample experienced a nonfatal opioid overdose during the study period. They found no association of HDHP with an observed increase in the probability of nonfatal opioid overdose among commercially insured person-years with OUD.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Eddelbuettel JCP, Barry CL, Kennedy-Hendricks A .
High-deductible health plans and nonfatal opioid overdose.
Med Care 2023 Sep; 61(9):601-04. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001886..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health
Toseef MU, Durfee J, Podewils LJ
Total cost of care associated with opioid use disorder treatment.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study among adult patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD) and who had a clinical encounter at a safety-net institution in Denver in 2020 to investigate the association of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment initiation and ongoing care on overall healthcare costs of Medicaid Fee-for-Service patients. Results indicated that patients with OUD who initiated MOUD treatment but were not linked to ongoing care had the highest healthcare cost, while those who were linked to ongoing MOUD treatment had the lowest cost. The researchers concluded that MOUD treatment was not only effective at addressing the morbidity and mortality burden of OUD, but also associated with decreased financial costs. They noted that additional policy and care delivery changes will be needed to focus efforts for improve linkage to ongoing treatment
AHRQ-funded; HS027389.
Citation: Toseef MU, Durfee J, Podewils LJ .
Total cost of care associated with opioid use disorder treatment.
Prev Med 2023 Jan;166:107345. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107345.
Keywords: Opioids, Healthcare Costs, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Medication
Sun EC, Rishel CA, Jena AB
Association between changes in postoperative opioid utilization and long-term health care spending among surgical patients with chronic opioid utilization.
There is growing interest in identifying and developing interventions aimed at reducing the risk of increased, long-term opioid use among surgical patients. While understanding how these interventions impact health care spending has important policy implications and may facilitate the widespread adoption of these interventions, the extent to which they may impact health care spending among surgical patients who utilize opioids chronically is unknown. This study examined the association between changes in postoperative opioid utilization and long-term health care spending among surgical patients with chronic opioid utilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS026753.
Citation: Sun EC, Rishel CA, Jena AB .
Association between changes in postoperative opioid utilization and long-term health care spending among surgical patients with chronic opioid utilization.
Anesth Analg 2022 Mar;134(3):515-23. doi: 10.1213/ane.0000000000005865..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Healthcare Costs, Long-Term Care, Substance Abuse
McClellan C, Moriya A, Simon K
AHRQ Author: McClellan C Moriya A
Users of retail medications for opioid use disorders faced high out-of-pocket prescription spending in 2011-2017.
This paper provides national estimates of financial costs faced by the population receiving retail medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD). Using MEPS data, findings showed that patients with retail MOUD prescriptions spent 3.4 times more out-of-pocket for prescriptions on average than the rest of the U.S. population, with 18.8% of this population paying entirely out-of-pocket for their MOUD prescriptions. Insurance coverage was associated with reduced annual out-of-pocket MOUD expenditures. Future policies that expand insurance and address out-of-pocket spending on MOUD could increase access to medications among individuals with opioid use disorders.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: McClellan C, Moriya A, Simon K .
Users of retail medications for opioid use disorders faced high out-of-pocket prescription spending in 2011-2017.
J Subst Abuse Treat 2022 Jan;132:108645. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108645..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Healthcare Costs, Medication
Rapoport AB, Fine DR, Manne-Goehler JM
High inpatient health care utilization and charges associated with injection drug use-related infections: a cohort study, 2012-2015.
This study described the characteristics of patients hospitalized with injection drug use-related infection over a multiyear period in a region highly impacted by the opioid epidemic. Findings revealed a longer average length of stay with subsequent higher cost, a higher percentage of 30-day readmissions, disproportionate public payer mix representation, and higher rates of discharge to alternate facilities for ongoing care as compared with the total inpatient cohort.
AHRQ-funded; HS026215.
Citation: Rapoport AB, Fine DR, Manne-Goehler JM .
High inpatient health care utilization and charges associated with injection drug use-related infections: a cohort study, 2012-2015.
Open Forum Infect Dis 2021 Mar;8(3):ofab009. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab009..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Hospitalization, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization
Beetham T, Saloner B, Gaye M
Admission practices and cost of care for opioid use disorder at residential addiction treatment programs in the US.
This study looked at admission practices and cost of care for opioid use disorder at profit and nonprofit residential addiction treatment programs in the US. An audit survey of 613 residential programs was conducted nationally where the caller posed as an uninsured cash-paying individual using heroin and seeking addiction treatment. One-third of callers were offered admission before clinical admission, usually within one day of initial contact. Most programs required up-front payments, with for-profit programs charging almost three times as much ($17,434) as nonprofits ($5,712). Recruitment techniques such as paid transportation was used frequently by for-profit, but not by nonprofit programs. Other practices included admission offers during the call. High up-front payments were common even among programs with third-party accreditation and state licenses. These practices may be an issue for a clinically and financially vulnerable population for costly treatment without assessing other care settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Beetham T, Saloner B, Gaye M .
Admission practices and cost of care for opioid use disorder at residential addiction treatment programs in the US.
Health Aff 2021 Feb;40(2):317-25. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00378..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Healthcare Costs
Jackson H, Mandell K, Johnson K
Cost-effectiveness of injectable extended-release naltrexone compared with methadone maintenance and buprenorphine maintenance treatment for opioid dependence.
The authors estimated the cost-effectiveness of injectable extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) compared with methadone maintenance and buprenorphine maintenance treatment for adult males enrolled in treatment for opioid dependence in the United States from the perspective of state-level addiction treatment payers. They found that XR-NTX is a cost-effective medication for treating opioid dependence if state addiction treatment payers are willing to pay at least $72 per opioid-free day.
AHRQ-funded; HS000083.
Citation: Jackson H, Mandell K, Johnson K .
Cost-effectiveness of injectable extended-release naltrexone compared with methadone maintenance and buprenorphine maintenance treatment for opioid dependence.
Subst Abus 2015;36(2):226-31. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2015.1010031.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medication, Opioids, Substance Abuse, Treatments