Brian Mann

Medicaid expansion is making people healthier. It’s also costing states more than expected. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is scrambling to close a $6 billion deficit tied to Medicaid expansion.

Drug companies are paying hundreds of millions of dollars to end lawsuits tied to the opioid epidemic. As payouts grow, government leaders are fighting over where the money should go.

Attorneys who represent hundreds of local governments have a new proposal for how to deal with the opioid crisis. They unveiled the framework for nationwide settlement in federal court on Friday.

If finalized, such a deal could funnel tens of billions of dollars to American communities struggling with the addiction crisis, while restoring stability to one of the country’s biggest industries.

Purdue Pharma, the maker of opioid OxyContin, has reached a $270 million civil settlement with the state of Oklahoma.

Lawsuits over the way drugmakers have marketed opioids are already putting a dent in companies’ reputations. Litigation has forced the release of internal documents that are shifting the narrative.

Opioid manufacturers and distributors will be defending themselves against cases brought by thousands of communities around the country.