Table 4. Adaptations to COVID-19 Among Methadone Clinics in the US and Canada in 2020.
| Adaptation | No. (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| US Medicaid (n = 189)a | Canadian provincial insurance (n = 123) | |
| Increased take-home medicationb | 59 (31) | 3 (2) |
| Bottle drop-off servicec | 18 (10) | 1 (1) |
| Groups/counseling cancellation | 31 (16) | 2 (2) |
| Telehealth groups/counseling | 88 (47) | 6 (5) |
| Telemedicine prescribing | 96 (51) | 68 (55) |
| Other adaptation | 126 (67) | 75 (61) |
a
Standardized patient calls were made simulating a patient aged 30 years seeking to start methadone treatment. Within the US, clinics were contacted twice: once as a patient with Medicaid and once as a patient with no health insurance (self-pay). Within Canada, clinics were contacted once as a patient with provincial insurance. To reduce question burden, US clinics were not asked about COVID-19 adaptations during self-pay calls.
b
Increased allowance of take-home medication.
c
Service to deliver methadone to the patient in the community.