In 2003, about 90% of health plans covered alcohol abuse medications, but in some instances these drugs were given the highest copayment rates, such as with ReVia (naltrexone, 41%), or Antabuse (disulfiram, 27%).
The opioid abuse drug Suboxone (combination of buprenorphine and naloxone) was excluded from coverage by 33% of health plans; 53% of the plans that covered Suboxone placed it on the highest copayment rate.
Health plans that used high cost-sharing schemes for outpatient visits increased from 24% in 1999 to 41% in 2003. A similar, but sharper, increase occurred in general medical outpatient visits, from 4% of plans in 1999 to 37% in 2003. High cost-sharing was arbitrarily defined as coinsurance greater than 20% or a copayment greater than $20, Dr. Horgan said.