BCBS says 1 of 5 patients on their insurance was prescribed an opioid in 2015. (Photo: iStock)

Even as claims for opioid addiction and dependence soared almost 500 percent between 2010 and 2016, a report from Blue Cross and Blue Shield indicates more than 1 out of 5 people insured by the company were prescribed an opioid painkiller at least once in 2015.

An NBC News report says the company’s figures on claims and prescriptions—based on coverage of 30 million people with Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance in 2015—bear out expert opinions that “much, if not most, of the opioid overdose epidemic is being driven by medical professionals who are prescribing the drugs too freely.

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