Applied health economics and health policy
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Aug 2014
Estimating the costs of opioid abuse and dependence from an employer perspective: a retrospective analysis using administrative claims data.
Opioid abuse and dependence is problematic across many age groups, including the working-age population and their dependents. Little is known, however, about the economic costs of opioid abuse/dependence imposed on employers, who pay for a substantial portion of healthcare costs through their contributions to employer-sponsored health insurance and are also affected by indirect costs such as those due to disability and workplace absenteeism. ⋯ Opioid abuse/dependence impose a substantial economic burden on employers.