Opioid Crisis Cost U.S. Economy $631B Over Span Of 4 Years

The opioid crisis cost the US economy $631 billion over four years, with significant impacts from mortality costs, healthcare expenses, and other financial losses. A study covering 2015-2018 found that 40% of the economic impact was due to mortality costs, primarily from lost lifetime earnings of overdose victims. Healthcare costs for opioid addiction and neonatal abstinence syndrome accounted for a third of the losses. Additional losses involved criminal justice and productivity issues. The economic burden is increasing, with 2019 costs estimated at $188 billion, $30 billion more than the previous yearly average.

What does the study suggest about the trend of the economic burden of the opioid epidemic?

How much did the Society of Actuaries estimate the midpoint costs of the opioid epidemic for the year 2019?