Availability of outpatient addiction treatment and use of emergency department services among medicaid enrollees

Abstract

Objective: The study examined whether the number of outpatient addiction programs accepting Medicaid in South Carolina counties is linked to repeat use of the emergency department for addiction-related conditions. Methods: The study included the population all adult Medicaid enrollees (N=2,401) in South Carolina with at least one addiction-related emergency service visit in 2012 or 2013. A random-effects logistic regression model was used to examine the association between outpatient addiction treatment availability and repeat use by Medicaid enrollees of emergency services for addiction-related conditions. Results: Enrollees in counties with two or more programs that accept Medicaid were less likely to have a repeat addiction-related emergency service visit than enrollees in counties with only one program that accepts Medicaid. Conclusions: Availability of outpatient addiction treatment may reduce the need for addiction-related emergency services. Research is needed to explore potential causal mechanisms underlying this observed relationship.