Walgreens Whistleblowers Advance Illinois Medicaid Kickback Suit

Walgreen Co. can’t escape two whisleblowers’ allegations it violated the federal False Claims Act by improperly billing Illinois’ Medicaid program, a federal district court said.

Sarah Castillo Baier and Rita Svendsen Baier adequately alleged that Walgreens submitted claims to Medicaid that were tainted by kickbacks, Judge John F. Kness of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois said in a March 29 order. The Baiers claim the company routinely waived patients’ prescription copayments to induce patients to fill prescriptions at a specialty Walgreens pharmacy.

The whistleblowers, who previously had their claims dismissed, have provided new allegations ...