Colorado Decides Distribution Of $400M Opioid Settlement

Colorado Decides Distribution Of $400M Opioid Settlement

Introduction

Colorado's 64 counties have agreed on the division of the $400 million in the opioid settlement amount awarded by the federal judge to fund addiction treatment, recovery and prevention programs.

The settlement amount includes $300 million from Johnson & Johnson, Amerisource Bergen, CardinalHealth, McKesson, $50 million from Purdue and the Sackler family, $25 million from Mallinckrodt and $10 million from McKinsey and Company.

20% of the amount will be allotted to the local governments considering the number of people suffering from opioid use disorder, number of opioid deaths and amount of opioids distribution in the county.

60% of the amount will go into the regional share as the state has been divided into 19 regions. The council of each region would decide on how to spend the money.

The state will receive 10% of the amount to combat the opioid epidemic across the state. An additional 10% of the amount will be used by the state to develop and improve the infrastructure required to decrease the opioid crisis.

Attorneys' fees will be covered from the local government's share and regional share at the rate of up to  8.7% and 4.35%, respectively. Any excess money other than the settlement will go to the local governments.

As per the reports, Colorado recorded 5,500 opioid overdose deaths over the last decade.