Washington, D.C.'s fiscal 2027 budget would direct about $2.3 million in opioid settlement money toward the city's Medicaid contribution, a recurring obligation the district has historically paid from its general budget. The commission created to advise the city on settlement spending says that is not what the money is for.
A budget document provided to KFF Health News also shows at least $5.5 million in settlement funds directed to addiction treatment centers previously funded through the general budget. Substituting settlement dollars for general funding keeps overall spending on treatment flat rather than increasing it.
