Bill Would Compel Ohio To Use Opioid Settlements For Treatment

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bipartisan legislation has been introduced that would compel state governments to use the funds it receives from opioid settlements to stymie the addiction epidemic. One of the co-sponsors of the bill, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio, said settlement money should be used for treatment, prevention, education and enforcement of opioid laws.

“As the opioids litigation settlements are determined, the federal government must assure Medicaid-related dollars are directed and allocated to explicitly fund efforts to curb this tragic crisis. This legislation would ensure accountability of the opioids settlement money recouped from pharmaceutical companies and drug distributors and protect the funding from being used for other matters,” Kaptur said.

Ohio, and several of its counties, have settled sweeping lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies and distributors in recent months. In October, for instance, the state received $39.4 million in a settlement with drug distributor the Reckitt Benckiser Group.

This bill — named the Opioid Settlement Accountability Act — would prevent opioid settlement funds, like those received from Reckett Benckiser, from being used to piggy bank other projects, Kaptur said.

“In communities like those in Ohio and West Virginia, where the opioids crisis has destroyed so many lives, settlement funds must be allocated to include treatment and social support services that help prevent further opioid misuse and substance abuse," Kaptur said.

Both Rep. David McKinley, a Republican from West Virginia, and Kaptur expressed concern opioid settlement funds could be used to support projects unrelated to the pressing drug epidemic.

“Many states used money they received from the tobacco settlements in the 1990’s for transportation projects and balancing budgets instead of prevention efforts. Twenty years later, we are seeing settlements being reached with communities impacted by the opioid crisis," McKinley said. "We must not repeat the same mistakes; these funds must be used to help address the crisis and not as a slush fund for other projects. Our legislation will serve as a guardrail, ensuring money from settlements related to the opioid crisis are used for treatment, prevention, education and enforcement.”

How could settlement funds be used, if the legislation passes? Here are some examples Kaptur and McKinley provided:

• Support for law enforcement and first responders, who serve as the front lines of the opioid epidemic
• Funding for long-term recovery services, like those that help people find housing and jobs
• Funding for treatment and support services to aid those battling opioid addiction
• Funding for education programs geared to prevent opioid addiction from ever starting