Data on Managed Care Reported by J. Tkacz and Co-Researchers (Heterogeneity of Nonadherent Buprenorphine Patients: Subgroup Characteristics and…

Data on Managed Care Reported by J. Tkacz and Co-Researchers (Heterogeneity of Nonadherent Buprenorphine Patients: Subgroup Characteristics and Outcomes)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Investigators publish new report on Managed Care. According to news reporting out of Columbia, Maryland, by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "To examine patient characteristics and outcomes associated with nonadherence to buprenorphine and to identify specific patterns of nonadherent behavior. Cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of health claims data."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research, "Aetna's administrative claims data were used to categorize incident opioid use disorder (OUD) patients based on buprenorphine medication possession ratio (MPR) into adherent (n = 172) and nonadherent (n = 305) groups. Adherent groups were then divided into 5 subgroups based on level of MPR, as well as 2 a priori-defined groups: intermittent adherent (IA) and early treatment discontinuation-no consequences (ETDNC). Groups were compared on patient characteristics and outcomes. Nonadherent members incurred significantly greater healthcare costs and were more likely to relapse (P < .05). The use of high-cost healthcare services increased as a function of decreasing MPR (P < .05). Assessment of the a priori groups revealed IA members to have outcomes similar to nonadherent patients, while ETDNC members exhibited outcomes similar to adherent members. Administrative claims can be used to define subgroups of buprenorphine-medication assisted treatment (B-MAT) patients. Nonadherence was related to an increased likelihood of relapse, and there is an inverse relationship between MPR and cost. The heterogeneity observed within this sample indicates that treatment regimens effective for 1 subgroup may not be appropriate for all OUD patients."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Increased understanding of B-MAT nonadherent subgroups may facilitate development of new interventions and medications specifically designed for nonadherent B-MAT patients, potentially leading to improved outcomes and reduced costs of care."

For more information on this research see: Heterogeneity of Nonadherent Buprenorphine Patients: Subgroup Characteristics and Outcomes. American Journal of Managed Care, 2017;23(6):E172-E179. American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting J. Tkacz, Hlth Analyt LLC, Columbia, MD 21045, United States. Additional authors for this research include C. Ruetsch, V.R. Nadipelli, B.L. Brady, N. Ronquest, H. Un and J. Volpicelli.

Keywords for this news article include: Columbia, Maryland, United States, North and Central America, Managed Care.

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