Latest news with #Avalere
Axios
28-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
What opioid addiction costs Arkansas
Opioid abuse is as much an economic problem as a public health one, according to a comprehensive analysis from Avalere provided to Axios. Why it matters: The total average annual cost to Arkansas for each case is $551,000. The big picture: The cost burden falls unevenly, with states in a belt stretching through Appalachia to New England typically having bigger caseloads and a higher cost per case. Opioid use disorder cost the U.S. an estimated $4 trillion last year, per the analysis, which used 2017 figures to project 2024 net costs. "While this is a cost to government, it's also a cost to private businesses, and the huge cost, of course, is to the individuals who have OUD," said Margaret Scott, a principal at Avalere and author of the report. By the numbers: The projected cost of opioid use disorder in 2024 ranged from $419,527 per case in Idaho to more than $2.4 million in D.C. That covers lost productivity, health insurance costs, property lost to crime and other variables. The cost per case totaled more than $1 million in West Virginia, Rhode Island, Ohio and Maryland. Some of the regional variation in costs is from lost tax revenue, which varies by state. The local availability of treatment for opioid use disorder may also drive the cost, Scott said. Zoom in: Overdose deaths from all drugs in Arkansas dropped 26% in 2024, according to CDC data. In 2023, Arkansas Children's Hospital announced a $70 million National Center for Opioid Research and Clinical Effectiveness to be established in Little Rock with $50 million coming from opioid settlement money. State of play: Opioid use disorder — defined as frequent opioid use and unsuccessful efforts to quit — is estimated to affect more than 6 million people in the United States. The cumulative economic burden on patients, including years of life lost and reduced quality of life, exceeded $3 trillion in 2024, Avalere estimated. Private businesses absorbed more than $467 billion in costs from lost productivity and health insurance costs while the federal government bore about $118 billion in Medicare and other federal insurance costs, lost taxes and criminal justice expenses. It cost state and local governments more than $94 billion, with about $42 billion of that going toward criminal justice costs. The Trump administration in March released its own analysis that estimated illicit opioids cost the U.S. about $2.7 trillion in 2023. Treatment can defray the costs by more than 40% in some instances, the analysis found. Behavioral therapy alongside long-acting injectable buprenorphine — a treatment that reduces the risk of future overdoses — generated an estimated $295,000 savings per case, the biggest cost-saver of the options Avalere analyzed. Therapy plus methadone and therapy plus buprenorphine administered through mucous membranes like the mouth each save about $271,000. Behavioral therapy alone saves a project $144,000 per case.
Axios
22-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
Exclusive: Opioid crisis cost Georgia $81 billion last year
Opioid abuse is as much an economic problem as a public health one, according to a comprehensive analysis provided first to Axios that shows Georgia spends more than $730,000 on each such case. Why it matters: The cost burden falls unevenly across the country, with states in a belt stretching through Appalachia to New England typically having bigger caseloads and a higher cost per case. Context: Opioid use disorder — defined as frequent opioid use and unsuccessful efforts to quit — is estimated to affect more than 6 million people in the United States, costing the nation an estimated $4 trillion last year, per health care consulting firm Avalere Health. The cumulative economic burden on patients, including years of life lost and reduced quality of life, exceeded $3 trillion in 2024, Avalere estimated. Context: At $736,361, Georgia's average cost per case is slightly higher than the national average, per the analysis from Avalere, which used 2017 figures to project 2024 net costs. Zoom out: In Georgia, patients bore more than $62.1 billion in costs from reduced quality of life and statistical loss of life. Businesses absorbed more than $9.6 billion in costs from lost productivity and health insurance costs. It cost the federal government about $2.3 billion in Medicare and other federal insurance costs, lost taxes and criminal justice expenses. State of play: Georgia received $636 million in a settlement with major U.S. opioid distributors and a manufacturer.
Axios
21-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
The opioid crisis' economic impact in Michigan
Opioid misuse is as much an economic problem as a public health one, according to a comprehensive analysis provided first to Axios that shows Michigan spends an average of more than $700,000 annually on each such case. Why it matters: The cost burden falls unevenly across the country, with states in a belt stretching through Appalachia to New England typically having bigger caseloads and a higher cost per case. Context: Opioid use disorder — defined as frequent opioid use and unsuccessful efforts to quit — is estimated to affect more than 6 million people in the United States, costing the nation an estimated $4 trillion last year, per health care consulting firm Avalere Health. The cumulative economic burden on patients, including years of life lost and reduced quality of life, exceeded $3 trillion in 2024, Avalere estimated. Zoom in: Michigan borders the states with the highest share of opioid misuse cases. At $742,799, our average cost per case is slightly higher than the national average, per the analysis from Avalere, which used 2017 figures to project 2024 net costs. Zoom out: Private businesses absorbed more than $467 billion in costs from lost productivity and health insurance costs, while the federal government bore about $118 billion in Medicare and other federal insurance costs, lost taxes and criminal justice expenses. It cost state and local governments more than $94 billion, with about $42 billion of that going toward criminal justice costs. What they're saying: Reports such as Avalere's help local officials across the state better understand the opioid crisis and how to address it with the state's $1.6 billion in opioid settlement funds, Joyce Fetrow, project director of the Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium, tells Axios. Every dollar spent on recovery provides a 10% return, Fetrow says. Investment in recovery services leads more people to spend on housing, transportation and other needs instead of their addiction. Follow the money: The projected cost of opioid use disorder in 2024 ranged from $419,527 per case in Idaho to more than $2.4 million in D.C.
Axios
21-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
Exclusive: Opioid crisis cost Massachusetts $145 billion last year, report says
The opioid epidemic cost Massachusetts nearly $145 billion in 2024, according to new research from Avalere Health. The big picture: The Washington-based health care consulting firm's research examines the economic toll of the epidemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in Massachusetts. The estimated national cost reached nearly $4 trillion in 2024, per Avalere's estimates provided to Axios exclusively. Threat level: While opioid-related overdose deaths have declined in recent years, Massachusetts is one of the states where opioid use disorder is most prevalent. OUD affects more than 2.5% of the population, similar to in New Hampshire, Nevada and Kentucky. Wyoming, Hawaii, Washington, D.C. and Minnesota had the lowest rates, falling below 1%. In terms of cost, Massachusetts' estimated $145-billion loss was one of the highest in the nation in 2024, per Avalere's estimates. How it works: Avalere determined the financial burden of OUD by analyzing relevant healthcare expenses, lost wages and work productivity, lost tax revenue, police and court costs and other factors. By the numbers: Opioid use disorder cost patients alone an estimated $111 billion in terms of reduced quality of life and life lost overall. Individuals and households faced a collective $9.2 billion loss last year in lost wages and other expenses, per Avalere's estimates. Avalere also estimated major hits to businesses ($17.5 billion), the federal government ($4.3 billion) and state and local governments ($3.4 billion). Police, court and correctional expenses related to people with OUD accounted for 40% of state and local government costs, per Avalere. Avalere also estimated cost savings from using medication and behavioral therapy to treat OUD.
Axios
20-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
Exclusive: Opioid use disorder costs almost $700K per case
Opioid abuse is as much an economic problem as a public health one, according to a comprehensive analysis provided first to Axios that concludes it costs an average of nearly $700,000 to treat each affected person. Why it matters: The cost burden falls unevenly, with states in a belt stretching through Appalachia to New England typically having bigger caseloads and a higher cost per case. Opioid use disorder cost the U.S. an estimated $4 trillion last year, per the analysis from Avalere, which used 2017 figures to project 2024 net costs. "While this is a cost to government, it's also a cost to private businesses, and the huge cost, of course, is to the individuals who have OUD," said Margaret Scott, a principal at Avalere and author of the report. By the numbers: The projected cost of opioid use disorder in 2024 ranged from $419,527 per case in Idaho to more than $2.4 million in D.C. That covers lost productivity, health insurance costs, property lost to crime and other variables. The cost per case totaled more than $1 million in West Virginia, Rhode Island, Ohio and Maryland. Some of the regional variation in costs is from lost tax revenue, which varies by state. The local availability of treatment for opioid use disorder may also drive the cost, Scott said. State of play: Opioid use disorder — defined as frequent opioid use and unsuccessful efforts to quit — is estimated to affect more than 6 million people in the United States. The cumulative economic burden on patients, including years of life lost and reduced quality of life, exceeded $3 trillion in 2024, Avalere estimated. Private businesses absorbed more than $467 billion in costs from lost productivity and health insurance costs while the federal government bore about $118 billion in Medicare and other federal insurance costs, lost taxes and criminal justice expenses. It cost state and local governments more than $94 billion, with about $42 billion of that going toward criminal justice costs. The Trump administration in March released its own analysis that estimated illicit opioids cost the U.S. about $2.7 trillion in 2023. Where it stands: Treatment can defray the costs by more than 40% in some instances, the analysis found. Behavioral therapy alongside long-acting injectable buprenorphine — a treatment that reduces the risk of future overdoses — generated an estimated $295,000 savings per case, the biggest cost-saver of the options Avalere analyzed. Therapy plus methadone and therapy plus buprenorphine administered through mucous membranes like the mouth each save about $271,000. Behavioral therapy alone saves a project $144,000 per case. The treatment savings estimates assume that patients fully adhere to the regimen for a year. Yes, but: Federal data from 2022 showed that only one-quarter of adults who needed medication treatment for OUD actually got it. Less than half of adults who received any OUD care that year got medication treatment. However, buprenorphine distribution increased significantly between 2019 and 2022 as policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed people to start treatment via telehealth. Between the lines: Overdose deaths in the U.S. fell to the lowest level since 2019 last year, partly due to expanded availability of the overdose reversal drug naloxone. An estimated 80,391 people died from drug overdoses in 2024, down nearly 27% from the previous year, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. But some addiction experts say cuts to federal grant funding and other program changes led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could hurt addiction recovery programs.
