Benefits Plans, Opioid Makers, Sellers Get Settlement Approval

A federal judge has preliminarily approved a $180 million settlement between a class of private employee benefit plans and opioid makers and sellers in the class’ long-running multidistrict litigation to recoup costs of prescriptions and opioid-related medical claims they paid on behalf of beneficiaries.

The proposed settlement appears to be fair, reasonable, and adequate, Judge Dan Aaron Polster of the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio said Tuesday. It “appears to be the product of intensive, thorough, serious, informed, and non-collusive negotiations; has no obvious deficiencies;" and doesn’t improperly grant preferential treatment to the settlement class representatives ...