US pharmacy store chain Walgreens pays USD106M in settlement of charges
Date
9/15/2024 9:39:53 AM
(MENAFN) On Friday, Walgreens, a major American pharmacy store chain, agreed to pay USD106.8 million to settle allegations of fraudulent billing practices with the US government. According to the Justice Department, Walgreens was accused of submitting false claims for payment to federal health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid from 2009 to 2020. The company allegedly billed for prescriptions that were processed but not actually dispensed to beneficiaries.
The government’s claims suggest that Walgreens did not properly reverse the claims for prescriptions that were never picked up by the intended recipients. Instead, the pharmacy reportedly restocked and resold these prescriptions to other customers, effectively collecting payment from the government twice for the same items. As a result, Walgreens is alleged to have received millions of dollars for prescriptions that were never provided to the beneficiaries.
US Attorney Alexander Uballez for the District of New Mexico emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of federal health care programs. He stated that fraudulent billing practices endanger the trust and reliability of programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which millions of Americans rely on for their health care needs. The settlement aims to address and rectify these fraudulent activities to protect public investments in health care from exploitation by private entities.
This settlement reflects the government's commitment to ensuring that health care providers adhere to honest billing practices and safeguard the financial integrity of federal health care programs. By resolving these allegations, the Justice Department seeks to uphold the standards and trustworthiness of healthcare systems crucial to public well-being.
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