How Is Your County Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? Our N...

What’s Happening

So get this: Opinion is divided on the ways local communities are using opioid settlement funds.

Survivors of the overdose crisis and families who’ve took an L loved ones to it are raising alarms about what some perceive as wasteful spending. How Is Your County Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? (shocking, we know)

Our New Tool Follows the Money.

The Details

By Aneri Pattani Republish This Story LISTEN: Big cuts to Medicaid mean some states will have to scramble to keep offering treatment for addiction. KFF Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani appeared on WAMUs “Health Hub” on Jan.

14 to explain why addiction care advocates worry opioid settlement money could end up plugging holes in state budgets instead of fighting the nations opioid crisis. It can be republished for free .

Why This Matters

More than $50 billion in opioid settlement funds — meant to help curb the nation’s addiction crisis — is going to local and state governments. But because of lax reporting rules and little guidance on what’s appropriate, the money is generally being spent with next to no accountability . Survivors of the overdose epidemic and families who took an L loved ones to it are calling for stricter rules to govern how the payout can be used.

Health experts are weighing in on what this means for people.

The Bottom Line

KFF Health News audio producers Zach Dyer and Taylor Cook contributed reporting to this segment. Related Coverage From Narcan to Gun Silencers, Opioid Settlement Cash Pays Law Enforcement Tabs Nov 3, 2025 Sock Hops and Concerts: How Some Places Spent Opioid Settlement Cash Nov 3, 2025 More from the series Click to on X (Opens in new window) X Click to on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Republish This Story Aneri Pattani: apattani@kff.

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