In 2015 California Society for Addiction Medicine (CSAM) published its survey of bronze-level plans offered by Covered California. The report indicated that, while coverage varied, none of the plans offered an acceptable level of coverage for the treatment of patients with opioid use disorders.

Major attention has been focused on the opioid epidemic from a state and national level. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) of opioid use disorders has proven to be the most effective form of treatment. Insurance companies claim that they offer full coverage for MAT. The California Society of Addiction Medicine conducted a statewide survey of its members and other physicians during the month of September 2016 to assess insurance barriers in California in the treatment of patients with opioid use disorders. Of the 800 surveyed electronically, it received a statistically significant response rate of 11%. The survey found that these companies impose major barriers to treatment.

Download the white paper: Insurance Barriers to Accessing Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders Identified by California Physicians. David Kan, MD, DFASAM, Chair, CSAM Committee on Opioids; November 2016.