Walgreens Faces $106M Settlement with US Justice Department Over False Claims Allegations
Walgreens Under Scrutiny by US Justice Department
Walgreens will pay $106.8 million to resolve allegations it billed U.S. government health care programs for prescriptions it never dispensed. The Justice Department states that the fraudulent billing occurred for more than a decade, uncovering serious compliance issues within the company.
Details of the Allegations
Walgreens allegedly submitted false claims for payments to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs concerning prescriptions processed but never picked up by beneficiaries. This led to Walgreens receiving tens of millions of dollars for prescriptions it never actually provided between 2009 and 2020.
Settlement and Compliance Measures
- The resolution includes credit for Walgreens under the Justice Department's guidelines for taking disclosure and cooperation into account.
- Walgreens has implemented enhancements to its electronic pharmacy management system to prevent future occurrences.
- In a positive move, Walgreens self-reported certain conduct, aligning with compliance protocols.
- Additionally, Walgreens previously refunded $66,314,790 related to the settled claims and will receive a credit for this amount.
This resolution marks a critical juncture for Walgreens, reflecting broader compliance challenges businesses face in the healthcare industry. Entities must stay vigilant to avoid such serious repercussions.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.