Director of Access Services and Community Engagement
MedMark Treatment Centers

Mr. Ashkin has impacted Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) access, availability, quality and utilization regionally and nationally. At 6 Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), Mr. Ashkin developed short and long-term detoxification protocols for people who did not meet admission criteria for maintenance which allowed thousands to gain access to MAT as other OTPs adopted this protocol. In 2004, his OTPs started dispensing buprenorphine, for which the OTP subsequently gained Medicaid and commercial MCO coverage. In 2014, a proposed funding matrix omitted coverage for comprehensive buprenorphine services; Mr. Ashkin successfully advocated its inclusion in 2015 Medicaid, commercial, and some eligible uninsured’s coverage. He led the Maryland Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence’s (MATOD) efforts to improve Maryland’s precarious OTP re-bundling plan, which resulted in improved availability, quality and stability of OTP services statewide. As MATOD Chair, the Association grew by over 120% and become a treatment, policy, legislative and advocacy resource. Proof of this was Mr. Ashkin’s instrumental role in educating Maryland’s Congressional delegation for Medicare coverage of OTP services, which resulted in Maryland’s Senator Cardin lead co-Sponsorship of the bill for Medicare coverage of OTP services starting in 2020.

Presentation(s):