Public, Private Payer Data Shine Spotlight on Opioid Epidemic

Two new reports involving data from private and public payers demonstrate just how pervasive—and costly—the country's opioid epidemic has become. One report, conducted by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), found that 21% of its commercially insured members filled at least one opioid prescription in 2015. Another new report, meanwhile, highlighted the high financial costs of the opioid crisis—in this case, for a major public payer.