Trends of per-patient healthcare cost and resource utilization of opioid use disorder among privately insured individuals in the United States from 2005-2014

Background: Little are known about how per-patient healthcare cost and resource utilization of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) have changed over time when governments continue to reduce availability and utilization barrier of OUD treatment. Objectives: Investigate trends of per-patient healthcare cost and utilization of outpatient, inpatient and emergency department services among privately insured individuals with OUD from 2005 to 2014. Methods: The MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database was used to analyze healthcare cost and resource utilization of opioid used disorder from 2005 to 2014. A matched case-control design was employed to estimate the impact of OUD on healthcare cost and service utilization over this period. Main findings: Excess annual per-patient healthcare cost of OUD stayed relatively stable with an average of $14,586 between 2005 and 2014. However, excess outpatient cost increased while excess inpatient cost decreased over time. Among OUD patients, the increase of OUD related outpatient care utilization rate and average number of visits coincided with the decrease of inpatient and ED service utilization rates and average number of ED visits. Conclusions: Among OUD patients, the increasing per-patient utilization of OUD related outpatient care, together with the decline in per-patient utilization of more urgent care including inpatient and emergency department care might indicate increased awareness and diagnosis of OUD and a better control of the disease among existing patients with private insurance.