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(AP) – Researchers posing as heroin users seeking help have contacted hundreds of treatment clinics in the United States with the highest rates of overdose deaths.
The study found that "secret buyers" were often denied appointments, especially if they claimed to be insured through Medicaid.
Scientists wanted to understand why more people are not being treated with an effective anti-addiction drug available in doctor's offices.
They tried to reach 546 prescribers with work numbers listed on a government website. If the callers said that they would pay in cash, 38% were informed that no appointments were available. But 46% were denied an appointment when they said they were on Medicaid.
Medicaid is the federal and state insurance program for low-income patients. It covers a significant portion of people with opioid dependence. The study appears Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine.
(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press Inc. All rights reserved This document may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.)
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