CommercialApril 30, 2022
Alcohol use disorder has a big cost
Beginning January 1, 2024, Empire became Anthem. This article, published under the former brand, now applies to Anthem.
Alcohol use disorder also impacts the economy through work force disruptions caused by tardiness, absenteeism, employee turnover and conflict in the workplace. It causes a reduction in potential employees, customer and taxpayer bases.4
According to the CDC, alcohol use was directly tied to 95,000 deaths annually between 2011 and 2015. This was more than all illicit substances combined. The CDC estimates that alcohol-attributed disease resulted in almost 685,000 years of potential life lost for the same period.
This chart shows the years of potential life lost (YPLL) related directly or indirectly to alcohol use disorder:
Cause |
YPLL |
Total YPLL |
>2.7 million |
100% alcohol attributed disease |
684,750 |
Suicide |
334,058 |
Motor vehicle crashes |
323,610 |
Liver disease |
202,391 |
Heart disease |
118,021 |
Cancer |
88,729 |
If you need assistance connecting your patients to opioid, substance use or alcohol use disorder treatment, contact your Empire BlueCross BlueShield health plan.
PUBLICATIONS: May 2022 Newsletter
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