Altarum recently released a report assessing the potential societal benefit of eliminating opioid overdoses, death, and substance use disorders, and found that the benefit would have exceeded $95 billion dollars in 2016. Part of that benefit comes from a $9.2 billion reduction in indirect healthcare costs, which includes the costs associated with the increased risk and treatment for diseases related to drug use such as hepatitis B and C, HIV and tuberculosis, along with cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Altarum estimated the costs based on the risk of infection, multiplied by the cost to treat each condition and apportioned by payer based on the incidence of overdoses.
Report: Eliminating Opioid Overdoses, Deaths, and Substance Use Disorders Exceeds $95 Billion per Year
Nov 21, 2017 | Kim Rodgers
About Kim Rodgers
Pronouns: She/Her
Kim Rodgers was formerly the Communications Manager at NACCHO.