Kroger opioids settlement overview:
- Who: Kroger will reportedly pay about $1.4 billion to resolve litigation with state and local governments and Native American tribes over its alleged role in the opioid crisis.
- Why: The governments and tribes allege Kroger failed to scrutinize suspicious opioid prescriptions.
- Where: The settlement is part of multidistrict litigation in Ohio federal court.
Kroger has reportedly agreed to pay more than $1 billion as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it contributed to the opioid crisis by failing to scrutinize suspicious prescriptions for the pain reliever, Law360 reports.
Under the terms of the Kroger opioids settlement, the pharmacy chain will pay $1.2 billion to state and local governments and $36 million to Native American tribes. They will have the ability to opt in to the Kroger settlement if they want to receive compensation.
The Kroger settlement payments will reportedly start in December and be made over 11 years.
Several opioid lawsuits have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation in Ohio federal court. The Kroger settlement is reportedly the first to be reached by a regional pharmacy chain.
Kroger settlement adds to growing number of opioid crisis settlements in U.S.
State and local governments who have sued players in the opioid industry have reached more than $50 billion in opioid settlements, The Washington Post reports. The settlements resolve claims that opioid prescribers ignored red flags for opioid prescriptions, contributing to an opioid addiction crisis in the United States.
The governments intend to use the opioid settlement money to address the opioid crisis, including purchasing drugs that reverse overdoses, supporting addiction treatment programs and increasing education about opioid-related issues.
The Drug Enforcement Agency reportedly requires pharmacies to flag suspicious prescriptions for controlled substances. Kroger was accused of ignoring red flags such as patients getting opioid prescriptions from multiple doctors.
“Instead of taking any meaningful action to stem the flow of opioids into communities, they continued to participate in the oversupply and profit from it,” the Kroger opioid lawsuit alleged.
Virginia could potentially receive $28 million from the Kroger settlement.
“The opioid crisis has tragically claimed the lives of countless innocent Virginians, and this significant settlement is another important step in the battle against this epidemic, offering aid and recovery services to those who urgently need it,” Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares said in a statement.
CVS, Walgreens and Walmart have already agreed to settle opioid lawsuits over their alleged roles in the opioid crisis.
Kroger did not admit any wrongdoing but issued a statement lauding the Kroger settlement as “an important milestone” in its efforts to resolve litigation and to help address the opioid crisis.
Kroger recently reached a $68 million opioid settlement with West Virginia and is still facing similar claims from other states.
In December, Kroger reportedly reached an $85 million Kroger opioids settlement with New Mexico to resolve claims that the pharmacy chain contributed to the opioid crisis in the state.
What do you think about the latest Kroger opioids settlement? Join the discussion in the comments.
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5 thoughts onKroger to pay $1.4B to governments, tribes to end opioid crisis claims
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I purchased the eggs at food 4 less in Chicago on 87th Street
The opioid crisis should have everyone thinking WTF. This is the only medication where the proceeds dont go to those that were affected by the opioid situation. Every other drug, the people that were harmed went to the people it rightfully should have went to. This one they probably thought oh well, drugs ruined these peoples lives. Why treat them fairly and portion this money out to them. People lost family members and people have spent their lives in rehab facilities and giving them money could help them tremendously. I wish these people would sue those that are getting the money because they were not treated fairly. And most places now days aren’t trying to give anyone any prescriptions for opiates because they are all afraid of what could happen if they do. There is not a big need to help spread the word to everyone about opiates. The people that it effected most get nothing and discriminated against. All this money is going to to benefit someone whom it didn’t effect at all. This is crazy really. It shows how much people twist things just to make money. I heard once that counties are saying that its because the opioid crisis put a strain on emt and hospital staff. They fail to think about every other drug that causes patients to die. What about all those that caused a strain on the medical system. . . Oh yah those went to the victims that it harmed.
I don’t know what settlement that you joined but you obviously was in the wrong one. There were lawsuits filed and families that lost their family members that did receive compensation as well as children that were harmed in utero by those drugs! I can’t tell you which lawsuit to join because most of them are long since over but my granddaughter was selected as she was damaged in utero by those drugs. We’re getting ready to get a settlement now finally after 4 years! The reason that most of these lawsuits paid out billions of dollars to the hospitals the EMTs, the police department is because it at one point they over whelmed and agencies had no reimbursement! The states are being reimbursed so that they can pay for the rehabs for the drug addicts that have no insurance and the ones that don’t qualify for Medicaid! Many of the addicts that recovered or still addicted we’ll need those funds paid so they can have further treatment! These poor babies that are receiving these funds are damaged for life with life threatening injuries due to no fault of their own!