Original Investigation

Health Plan Disenrollment and Mortality After Initiation of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

JAMA Psychiatry 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.0021

March 04, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST

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What is the association of health plan disenrollment with all-cause mortality and overdose mortality in patients treated with medications for opioid use disorder?In this cohort study of 20 011 patients aged 16 years and older who were treated with buprenorphine or naltrexone for opioid use disorder, health plan disenrollment was associated with a 51% and 56% increase in the hazards of all-cause mortality and overdose mortality, respectively.These findings suggest health plan disenrollment is a risk factor for elevated mortality in patients being treated with medications for opioid use disorder.

Corresponding Author: Anh P. Nguyen, PhD, Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, PO Box 378066, Denver, CO 80237-8066 (anh.p.nguyen@kp.org).

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