CareFirst to Invest $1.5 Million to Increase Substance Use Disorder Services

Baltimore, MD (April 05, 2018) - CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), the region’s largest not-for-profit insurer, plans to award $1.5 million over two years to programs increasing access to substance use disorder services – including efforts to combat opioid addiction – in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the rate of drug-induced death has increased dramatically since 1999, accounting for more than 19.7 deaths per 100,000 people in the U.S. – currently the leading cause of accidental death in the country. Furthermore, regional statistics show that opioid overdoses have dramatically increased in CareFirst’s service area, including a 103 percent increase in opioid overdose deaths in Washington, D.C., and a 70 percent increase in Maryland between 2015 – 2016.