Mission Critical:
America’s Hospitals Must Be Part of Opioid Lawsuits
From the earliest days of the opioid crisis, America’s hospitals have served on the front line … saving lives and restoring futures. The costs – financial, operational and emotional – have been high, and the reimbursement has been low to non-existent.
Now hospitals are joining together to fight for their patients and their communities – and for a voice in the opioid settlement discussions.
OPIOID RELATED DEATHS SO FAR THIS YEAR
On average, 130 Americans die each day from opioid overdose, making it the leading cause of death for Americans under 55.
Since 2001, it is estimated that the opioid epidemic has imposed more than $216 billion in health costs, with more to come, as people continue to live with addiction and the lingering health effects of opioid abuse. This has directly affected our nation’s hospitals, which provide billions of dollars of unreimbursed care.
Don’t Forget Our Frontline Caregivers in the Opioid Epidemic
New York Times
Now is the time for hospitals to lead us out of this crisis. Federal and state-based hospital opioid litigation is underway in multiple districts, with more cases coming on dockets each week. Health organizations, elected officials, national media and everyday citizens have joined a growing chorus in our country to ensure that opioid litigation funding goes directly where it’s needed most – on the front lines of patient care.