Outpatient Prescription Opioid Expenses For Adults Totaled $7.7 Billion In 2017

During 2017, the total costs for outpatient prescription opioid expenses for adults were $7.7 billion for 110.4 million prescription fills of hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, morphine, and codeine. Hydrocodone and oxycodone accounted for nearly three-quarters of those expenses, at $3.5 billion for hydrocodone and $2.2 billion for oxycodone. The costs for the other drugs totaled $0.8 billion for tramadol, $0.5 billion for morphine, and $0.1 billion for codeine. The majority (85%) of prescriptions filled were for hydrocodone (45.9 million fills), oxycodone (26.8 million fills), and tramadol (21.6 million fills).

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