In 2016, the opioid crisis cost PA over $53 Billion
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), released a new report on the economic impact of the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. The analysis, modeled after a national analysis conducted by the Council for Economic Advisers, found that in 2016 alone the opioid crisis cost Pennsylvania over $53.77 billion dollars in fatalities, health care spending, addiction treatment, criminal justice and lost productivity.
The largest economic impact of the crisis was opioid-related fatalities, which cost the state over $50 billion in 2016.
“This epidemic knows no bounds. As the opioid crisis continues to grow in its intensity and its harm, too many Pennsylvanians are suffering and dying,” said Senator Casey. “This report highlights the economic impact of the epidemic and the need to commit resources to our states and our local communities. In my recent travels across Pennsylvania, to communities both large and small, one of the most common concerns in fighting the opioid crisis is the need for more support for local resources. I will continue my efforts to ensure that all communities have the resources they need to address the opioid epidemic.”
For more on the cost of the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania, see the analysis HERE.
Learn more about the methodology of the new analysis HERE.
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