Study: Opioid overdose death rate 6% lower in Medicaid expansion states

States expanding Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act had a 6% lower rate of opioid overdose deaths by county after the expansion than did other states, according to a study reported Friday in JAMA Network Open. Specifically, counties in states that expanded Medicaid had an 11% lower rate of heroin overdose deaths and 10% lower rate of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids than counties in non-expansion states. However, Medicaid expansion was associated with an 11% higher rate of methadone-related overdose deaths.