Patients Who Are Privately Insured Receive Limited Follow-Up Services After Opioid-Related Hospitalizations

Excerpt

Background: There has been a significant increase in hospitalizations for opioid misuse in recent years. Identifying patterns of post-discharge treatment is an important step in helping patients receive appropriate care following an opioid-related hospitalization. Method: Using 2010–2014 data from the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters Database, this report identifies the types of services individuals with private insurance receive following hospitalization for opioid misuse. Results: Forty percent of patients do not receive any follow-up services within 30 days after an opioid-related hospitalization. Only 10.7 percent of patients received the recommended combination of both medication and a therapeutic service. Conclusion: Developing strategies to link patients to resources that can provide the recommended treatment options is an important goal in supporting treatment and recovery efforts.