Michigan communities have until May 9th to join the national settlement with opioid manufacturers Allergan Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceuticals, and pharmacies CVS and Walmart.
Michigan Communities Have Until May 9th to Join Opioid Settlement for $446 Million in Settlement Money
By joining the settlement, local governments would be eligible to share over $446 million in settlement money, to be paid out over the next 13 years, which will be used for opioid addiction prevention and treatment. There are 278 counties and municipalities across the state eligible to participate, with all 83 of Michigan’s counties being eligible. Municipalities that are currently litigating against the defendants or have a population of 10,000 or more are also eligible.
Michigan has already settled with pharmaceutical distributors AmerisourceBergen, McKesson Corp., and Cardinal Health, and manufacturer Janssen (parent company Johnson & Johnson). Michigan is to receive $776 million over 18 years, with the $776 million to be split between the state of Michigan and local governments. The first installments of that payout, roughly $81 million, were held up by a lawsuit filed by Ottawa County. The case was dismissed in January, and the money has started flowing into communities. The state is also set to receive $19.5 million in a settlement with McKinsey & Co. and $37 million in a settlement with Mallinckrodt Pharmaceutical.
The deadline for the opioid settlement has been extended to give municipalities across the nation more time to join
The money cannot bring back loved ones or ease the pain of families impacted by opioids, but it will provide resources to help impacted communities recover. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel encouraged every eligible municipality to sign up for funds.
The evidentiary hearing to determine the nature of the sanctions for Ottawa County’s lawsuit is scheduled for May 10th. However, Ottawa County will continue to receive the settlement funds it has been allocated, according to Nessel’s office. Overall, Michigan could receive $1.45 billion in settlement funds, as stated by Nessel.
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