Private Equity Acquisition and Buprenorphine Prescribing

Did buprenorphine patient volume and prescribing quality change after private equity acquisition of substance use disorder treatment facilities from 2019 through 2021?In this cross-sectional study using difference-in-differences analysis of 90 private equity–acquired facilities and 2374 comparison facilities, the number of patients receiving buprenorphine increased after acquisition while buprenorphine prescribing quality of care decreased.These findings suggest that continued oversight and research are necessary to ensure incentives for private investment in addiction care align with delivery of high-quality evidence-based treatment.

Corresponding Author: Taylor Holdaway, PhD, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 3641 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (thold@upenn.edu).

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