Study Finds Adherence To Extended-Release Buprenorphine Associated With Lower Health Care Costs In Insured Adults With Opioid Use Disorder

A new study published in Frontiers in Public Health examined the relationship between adherence to extended-release buprenorphine (BUP-XR) and health care utilization and costs among insured adults with opioid use disorder (OUD).

The retrospective analysis used U.S. commercial and Medicare claims data to evaluate adults who initiated BUP-XR treatment between 2019 and 2022. Researchers assessed adherence using proportion of days covered (PDC) over a 12-month follow-up period and compared outcomes across adherence groups.

The study found that adults who were adherent to BUP-XR (PDC ≥ 0.8) had lower total health care costs, excluding . . .