Indiana Expected To Get $507 Million From Opioid Settlement

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana will receive $507 million as part of a multi-state agreement to settle a lawsuit against opioid distributors designed to bring relief to people struggling with addiction to the drug, officials said Wednesday,

Attorney General Todd Rokita said the settlement marks a step forward in efforts to end the opioid epidemic and provide justice to families affected by opioid addiction.

“While no amount of money will ever compensate for the loss and pain that’s resulted from the scourge of addiction across our state, this significant settlement will go a long way in preventing a crisis of this kind from ever happening again,” Rokita said.

According to the attorney general’s office, the $26 billion multi-state settlement could resolve the claims of both states and local governments across the country, including Indiana’s lawsuit against Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen.

The deal calls for drug maker Johnson & Johnson to pay up to $5 billion, in addition to billions more from the major national drug distribution companies. AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health are each to contribute $6.4 billion. McKesson is to pay $7.9 billion.

Indiana anticipates signing the agreement, according to the attorney general’s office, ensuring local governments will be eligible to participate. The state’s share of the settlement will be distributed among governmental agencies and local governments as mandated by a law passed by the Indiana General Assembly this spring.

Local governments currently litigating were provided the ability to opt out of the state’s opioid plan. Those local governments have the opportunity to opt back into the state’s plan within 60 days of opting out, according to the attorney general’s office.