Article

Could Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) for addiction now be at risk?

Carolyn Bradfield, April 2025

The federal government announced that they are scaling back their coverage of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, once seen as miracle treatments for weight loss and diabetes. The shift is raising important questions—not just about weight loss drugs, but about how we fund long-term pharmaceutical interventions in healthcare.

Medicare and Medicaid will not cover blockbuster drugs such as Ozempic to treat obesity, the Trump administration announced on Friday.

This development begs the question for behavioral health: Could this signal what’s coming for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)? The answer: It’s possible, so now is the time for the addiction treatment industry to pay attention.

Why is the Federal Thinking on Medication Shifting?

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) continues to be acknowledged as very effective, but there is clearly a broader assessment of long-term pharmaceutical strategies, not only for obesity, but potentially for addiction as well. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be favoring a new course in its approach to behavioral health with a growing emphasis on holistic, peer-driven models of care prioritizing non-medication-based recovery methods.

Kennedy said in a Fox News interview in October that pharma companies are counting on selling the drugs to Americans because “we’re so stupid and so addicted to drugs.”.

What Ozempic and MAT might have in common that raises a concern?

  • Both involve long-term use
  • Both can be expensive at scale
  • Both raise questions about dependency vs. empowerment
  • Both have a certain stigma attached to their use.

While these medications serve very different populations and for very different reasons, the policy logic behind the Ozempic decision may foreshadow what’s could come next for those struggling with addiction.

The Value of MAT

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) remains one of the most evidence-based interventions for opioid use disorder saving both lives and money.

Saves Lives

MAT reduces all-cause mortality by over 50%

Reduces Relapse

MAT decreases the likelihood of relapse, overdose, and re-hospitalization

Reduces Cost

For every $1 spent on MAT, there’s up to $12 in savings

What Providers Should Be Thinking About

But in a changing policy and reimbursement environment, providers will be expected to do more than prescribe, they’ll need to prove the effectiveness of MAT treatment.

In a value-based care landscape, this means:

  • Tracking patient progress after discharge
  • Demonstrating reductions in relapse and crisis interventions
  • Reporting outcomes that align with payer and regulatory expectations

Final Thoughts

If Ozempic was the first signal of a changing point of view at the federal level, MAT could be next. Whether you’re a provider, policymaker, or advocate, we should be asking:

  • Are we building systems that empower long-term recovery?
  • Are we ready for a world where medication isn't the only funded path?
  • What infrastructure do we need to support post-treatment outcomes?
About the Author

Carolyn Bradfield is the CEO of Pathroot Health, where she helps treatment providers adopt value-based care and tech-enabled recovery support. A seasoned entrepreneur, she has founded four successful technology companies in conferencing, collaboration, and cloud-based platforms. Her passion for long-term recovery solutions is deeply personal—shaped by the struggles of her husband and daughter, which led her to create Phoenix Outdoor, a pioneering treatment program for adolescents and families. Today, she’s focused on equipping providers with tools to track outcomes, engage alumni and families, and use data-driven insights to strengthen recovery and reduce relapse.

See how Pathroot Health can help you shift to a value-based care solution.  Get in touch ».