Parish WJ, Mark TL, Zarkin GA, et al. - Via performing this cross-sectional observational study in United States, researchers investigated disparities in the quality of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment received by Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in health plans that used prior authorization (PA) for buprenorphine–naloxone vs those enrolled in plans that did not use PA.They assessed continuously enrolled beneficiaries (71,294) with an OUD who filled at least one prescription for buprenorphine–naloxone. Among these, they determined percentage of patients examined for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and liver functioning; percentage of patients with urine drug screens and number of urine drug screens; continuous use of buprenorphine–naloxone for at least 180 days; co-use of benzodiazepines; number of outpatient visits with and without an OUD diagnosis. Per findings, US Medicare patients subjected to prior authorization for buprenorphine–naloxone do not receive high-quality treatment for opioid use disorder more frequently when compared with patients not subjected to prior authorization.