Pew Supports Quality Measures to Improve Substance Use Treatment, Antibiotic Prescribing

In recently submitted comments, The Pew Charitable Trusts urged leaders from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program to adopt two measures that can help evaluate the quality and effectiveness of these health programs. These measures assess substance use disorder treatment initiation and retention rates as well as antibiotic prescribing for respiratory illnesses, respectively.  

Many people with opioid use disorder leave treatment early. In fact, in 2022, more than 70% of people who started treatment did not return after a first visit. Measuring treatment initiation and retention rates can help states identify people most at risk of leaving care early and develop strategies to help retain them in care.

In addition, antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed drugs in the United States, but any overuse and misuse of these drugs adds to the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, understanding how and why antibiotics are prescribed is essential for promoting appropriate use and combating antibiotic resistance. The antibiotic utilization for respiratory conditions (AXR) measure will provide states with critical insight on antibiotic prescribing practices for conditions that most often contribute to inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.