The three largest U.S. drug distributors have reached a settlement of $300 million to resolve claims from health insurers and benefit plans over their alleged role in fueling the opioid epidemic, according to court documents filed on Friday.
The settlement involves McKesson Corp (NYSE: MCK), Cencora Inc (NYSE: COR), and Cardinal Health Inc (NYSE: CAH). The proposed class action settlement, disclosed in a federal court in Cleveland, Ohio, requires a judge's approval.
Reuters highlights that the settlement comes on the heels of a $21 billion agreement by the same companies to settle claims from state and local governments.
Those claims accused the distributors of failing to implement proper controls, which allowed large quantities of addictive painkillers to be diverted into illegal markets.
The new settlement addresses the claims of third-party payers, such as union funds, who bore the financial burden of overprescribed and overmarketed opioid medications and the subsequent treatment of opioid use disorder.
The distributors did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement. The $300 million payment will be divided among the companies, with McKesson paying 38.1%, Cardinal Health and Cencora paying 30.9% and 31%, respectively.
The case is part of a broader wave of litigation against drug manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies, seeking accountability for a nationwide opioid crisis that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives over the past two decades.
These lawsuits have collectively resulted in over $50 billion in settlements, primarily with state and local governments.