Costs soar for fighting opioid abuse

Published



The opioid epidemic is costing the healthcare industry, with spending on fighting opioid abuse and dependence rising by 3,200 percent in recent years.

A series of reports published Monday found that spending on opioid abuse rose from $71 million in 2011 to $721.8 million in 2015. The spending encompasses the charges that providers billed for services and procedures to insurers.

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