{"id":3170,"date":"2024-08-14T11:00:29","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T11:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthynewsusa.com\/?p=3170"},"modified":"2024-08-14T11:00:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T11:00:33","slug":"opioid-settlements-promise-mississippi-a-windfall-what-happens-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthynewsusa.com\/?p=3170","title":{"rendered":"Opioid Settlements Promise Mississippi a Windfall. What Happens Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hundreds of Mississippians die every year<\/a> from opioid overdoses, an epidemic that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands more nationwide. In a series of historic settlement agreements, pharmaceutical companies agreed to pay about $50 billion over 18 years for their role in fueling the crisis \u2014 and Mississippi has signed on to be part of the settlements.<\/p>\n

How the state and local governments choose to use this cash windfall in the years ahead will significantly shape Mississippi\u2019s policies toward addiction treatment and prevention \u2014 as well as health care in general.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve broken down the key things you need to know about the settlements.<\/p>\n

Where Is the Money Going?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mississippi has begun to receive portions of the approximately $203 million<\/a> it expects from national settlements<\/a> with three pharmaceutical distributors and one opioid manufacturer. The state also expects an estimated additional $167 million<\/a> from national opioid settlements with other companies.<\/p>\n

The money is split into three buckets: 15% goes to the state government; another 15% to counties and cities, which will be distributed based on population and how heavily the crisis has affected those communities; and the remaining 70% to an opioid abatement fund that will be controlled by the state legislature.<\/p>\n

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