Variety of Factors Affect Patient Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction, Says GAO

​Although the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is promoting medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to combat opioid addiction, a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that a number of factors could affect patient access to this treatment approach. MAT combines behavioral therapy and the use of medications to treat addiction. Three medications are approved for use in MAT.