New Lawsuits Say Opioid Epidemic Has Led to Skyrocketing Health Insurance Premiums

CHICAGO — Five putative class actions have been filed against various opioid manufacturers and distributors, alleging their deceptive marketing practices have led to a public health crisis that caused the average consumer’s private health insurance premiums to skyrocket.

In the May 2 complaints, the plaintiffs say health insurers have factored in the exorbitant healthcare costs of opioid-related addiction, overdoses and deaths, and charged them back to policyholders in the form of higher premiums, deductibles and co-payments.

The lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of California, Northern District of Illinois, District of Massachusetts, District of …