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. 2020 Dec 15;324(23):2440–2442. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.21512

Figure. Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Medical Fills, OUD Visits, and Urine Tests in March Through May of 2019 and 2020.

Figure.

This study uses 2019 and 2020 claims data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse. The panels include individuals who were continuously enrolled in medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy benefits for January through May of the year in question. The dotted vertical line corresponds to the date of Medicare’s announced expanded telehealth coverage for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on March 17, 2020 (week 3). Recent OUD medication treatment is defined as at least 1 OUD medication fill in January or February of a given year. Among those with recent OUD medication treatment in 2020, OUD visits delivered via telemedicine increased from 0.48% in week 1 to 23.53% in week 13. Among those without recent OUD medication treatment, OUD visits delivered via telemedicine increased from 0.60% in week 1 of 2020 to 31.82% in week 13.