High-Deductible Health Plan Enrollment and Buprenorphine Dispensing

Among privately insured adults using buprenorphine, is switching to a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) associated with changes in buprenorphine dispensing or health care visits for opioid use disorder (OUD)?In this repeated cross-sectional study of 14 801 patient claims from a national commercial claims database, switching to an HDHP was associated with decreased buprenorphine dispensing but not with changes in OUD-related health care visits. Among patients experiencing above-median deductible increases, switching to an HDHP was associated with decreased buprenorphine dispensing and OUD-related outpatient visits.Results of this study suggest that patients who switch to an HDHP may experience heightened barriers to buprenorphine use.

Corresponding Author: Kao-Ping Chua, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd, NCRC Bldg 16, SPC 2800, Room G026W, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800 (chuak@med.umich.edu).

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