“$78.5 billion. That’s the total economic impact of prescription opioid misuse in the United States.
At least that’s what it was in 2013, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control that was released last year.
The price isn’t just shouldered by employers — the criminal justice system and public insurance programs are also feeling the economic pressure. But a significant chunk of it is.
Businesses are mostly seeing their losses in less productive workers who are addicted to opioids, a $20 billion burden. Affected employees miss three times more work days than their healthy counterparts. When they do show up, they don’t get as much done.
Individuals who abuse opioids also cost their employers more in health insurance — about $15,000 more per year, said Curtis Florence, the primary author of the opioid study and the NCIPC’s lead health economist.”
Source: NewsTribune.com – April 29, 2017
See related article: Opioid Addiction Hits U.S. Employers available at: https://www.thefix.com/opioid-addiction-hits-us-employers