the dept of justice announced this week that walgreens is to pay $35 million for committing medicare fraud in 42 states (hawaii is not included).
from 2001 to 2005, walgreens substituted different versions (tablets for capsules, for example) of ranitidine, fluoxetine and eldepryl for no other reason than financial gain. walgreens was also required to enter into a corporate integrity agreement (text here).
a list of businesses have been who have entered into corporate integrity agreements rather than being excluded by the feds from participating in medicare/medicaid/other fed healthcare programs (in other words, accept payment from those programs--thereby losing millions of dollars yearly) because of fraud/false reporting is here. you'll note some organizations that do business locally: american medical response (private ambulance company), hawaii's kaiser, hilo medical center, and interstate pharmacy corp (provider of drugs to most of hawaii's long term care facilities), and wal-mart (details as to what the charges were for each company are at the links).
do you consider a company's integrity when making purchasing/business decisions. if, for example, you found out your dermatogolist was committing insurance fraud, like dr. norman goldstein did, would you continue to go to him? does it bother you that walmart "shorted" patient prescriptions (gave less than the fully prescribed number of dosages because of lack of stock) but yet charged medicare/tricare for the full amount? do you continue to patronize a business--whether healthcare, automotive, restaurant, whatever--even if you've heard from people you know that they were treated badly, or maybe even cheated?
from 2001 to 2005, walgreens substituted different versions (tablets for capsules, for example) of ranitidine, fluoxetine and eldepryl for no other reason than financial gain. walgreens was also required to enter into a corporate integrity agreement (text here).
"This is our third settlement with a company that has engaged in improper drug switching, and it represents the government's continuing commitment to vigorously pursue fraud in government health care programs," said Gregory G. Katsas, Acting Assisting Attorney General for the Civil Division. "The United States will not tolerate pharmacies or any other health care providers that attempt to manipulate the Medicaid program at the
taxpayers' expense."
...
"Switching medication from tablets to capsules might seem harmless, but when that is done solely to increase profit and in violation of federal and state regulations that are designed to protect patients, pharmacies must know that they are subjecting themselves to the possibility of triple damages, civil penalties and attorney fees," said Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. "These penalties, coupled with the willingness of insiders to report fraud, should deter such misconduct, but when it doesn't, the result in this case and others serves notice that we will aggressively pursue all available legal remedies."
Walgreens has also entered into a compliance agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to insure that Walgreens does not improperly switch drugs in the future. The compliance agreement will be in effect for five years.
taxpayers' expense."
...
"Switching medication from tablets to capsules might seem harmless, but when that is done solely to increase profit and in violation of federal and state regulations that are designed to protect patients, pharmacies must know that they are subjecting themselves to the possibility of triple damages, civil penalties and attorney fees," said Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. "These penalties, coupled with the willingness of insiders to report fraud, should deter such misconduct, but when it doesn't, the result in this case and others serves notice that we will aggressively pursue all available legal remedies."
Walgreens has also entered into a compliance agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to insure that Walgreens does not improperly switch drugs in the future. The compliance agreement will be in effect for five years.
do you consider a company's integrity when making purchasing/business decisions. if, for example, you found out your dermatogolist was committing insurance fraud, like dr. norman goldstein did, would you continue to go to him? does it bother you that walmart "shorted" patient prescriptions (gave less than the fully prescribed number of dosages because of lack of stock) but yet charged medicare/tricare for the full amount? do you continue to patronize a business--whether healthcare, automotive, restaurant, whatever--even if you've heard from people you know that they were treated badly, or maybe even cheated?
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