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Making Narcan available OTC has the potential to expand access, but several obstacles may limit its reach. Decisions by pharmacies on whether to stock OTC Narcan, the product's placement within stores, and lingering stigmas can impact accessibility. Furthermore, public knowledge plays a role; many people may not realize that OTC Narcan is available without a prescription from a doctor and that insurance may help cover the costs.
This chart series highlights 5 key things to know about the intersection of the nation’s HIV and opioid epidemics.
This Kaiser Family Foundation analysis finds that while prescription opioid use among people with private insurance has declined to its lowest levels in over a decade, the cost of treating opioid abuse has increased substantially.
This issue brief provides data on Medicaid enrollment and spending for people with opioid addiction. It then considers this in the context of the Better Care Reconciliation Act.
State interest in Medicaid Section 1115 behavioral health waivers, including mental health and substance use disorders, remains high. As of November, 2017, there are 15 approved and 11 pending behavioral health waivers in 22 states. This issue brief describes recent waiver activity in four areas: using Medicaid funds to pay for substance use and/or mental health services in “institutions for mental disease” (IMDs), expanding community-based behavioral health benefits, expanding Medicaid eligibility to cover additional people with behavioral health needs, and financing delivery system reforms.
Costly specialty drugs, such as those used to treat Hepatitis C and HIV, are among the most costly medications in state Medicaid programs, chiefly because of their high prices for a course of treatment, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of Medicaid’s most costly outpatient drugs.
As the problem of prescription painkiller abuse has captured greater attention from policymakers and the media, the November Kaiser Health Tracking Poll explores the public’s connection to and knowledge of the issue, as well as their views of how to address it. A surprising 56 percent of the public say they have some personal connection to the issue – either because they say they know someone who has taken a prescription painkiller that wasn’t prescribed to them, know someone who has been addicted, or know someone who has died from a prescription painkiller overdose. While views of the health care law have been narrowly divided for much of the year, this month more say they have an unfavorable view of the law than a favorable one. The poll also includes views of the uninsured during the third open enrollment period under the health care law.
This infographic highlights Medicaid's role in facilitating access to behavioral health treatment and the impact of potential reductions in federal Medicaid financing on behavioral health coverage and access to services.
The April Kaiser Health Tracking Poll examines the role of health care issues in the presidential election. Health care is one of the top four issues mentioned by voters when asked which issues they most want to hear candidates discuss in the campaign, but half as many cite health care as mention the economy and jobs. It also examines the public’s experiences with prescription painkiller abuse and access to mental health care, as well as their views on efforts to combat painkiller and heroin addiction. It also asks about confidence in the safety of the drinking water supply in the wake of the lead contamination crisis in Flint, Mich., and their views of the government’s performance.
As the White House and Congress continue to debate new funding and other actions to address the nation’s opioid epidemic, the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that most Americans believe the federal government is not doing enough to combat the recent increases in the number of people who are addicted to prescription painkillers (66%)…
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