PROFITS ON LIFE AND DEATH –

Aug. 26. 2022 – While the cost of naloxone has declined for individuals with health insurance, the cost of the opioid overdose reversal medication has sharply risen for uninsured individuals in recent years, according to new data from RAND Corporation.

Findings from the study were published in the journal JAMA Health Forum.

From 2014 to 2018, the out-of-pocket cost for naloxone increased more than 500% per prescription for those without insurance. Meanwhile, those with insurance saw their out-of-pocket cost decline by 26%. About 20% of US adults with an opioid use disorder (OUD) are uninsured, and uninsured Americans account for nearly one-third of opioid overdose deaths.

Despite concentrated legislative efforts to improve access to naloxone by passing laws that ease requirements around prescribing and dispensing the medication, many states are falling short by failing to address financial barriers, study lead author Evan Peet, an economist at RAND, said in a news release.

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