Changes in Medication Use During Medicaid Continuous Enrollment and Unwinding

Expanded Medicaid enrollment during the COVID-19 continuous coverage period and the subsequent unwinding were associated with corresponding changes in use of prescription medications for chronic diseases, suggesting that these Medicaid policies affected patients’ access to necessary health care. States that implemented protective policies during unwinding experienced smaller decreases in medication use, highlighting the value of efforts to maintain patient access to medications during coverage transitions.