methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine. Though some resources are readily available, patients seeking MAT face a number of obstacles. “Most people with substance use disorders, in general, do not receive any treatment,” Feder said. “Common barriers to treatment include financial barriers, lack of transportation, lack of childcare, the stigma associated with treatment, and the relapsing nature of addiction that makes it difficult for persons to want to stop using.”
He also explained that federal laws do not allow the majority of methadone clinics to treat adolescents and that very few pediatricians are trained in addiction medicine or on how to prescribe buprenorphine. But laws like the Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health and Addiction Parity Act have been effective.
“[These laws] expanded insurance access, increased the number of health insurance plans required to cover behavioral health, and expanded the requirement that cost sharing for behavioral health conditions not exceed those imposed for physical health conditions,” he added. “However, many persons with opioid use disorders remain uninsured, and many insurance plans still do not cover important treatments like long-term MAT.”
