Former J&J Employee Urges Court to Keep Drug Cost Suit Alive

A past-employee of Johnson & Johnson Inc. urged a federal court to nix the company’s attempt to toss her complaint over excess prescription drug costs in its health insurance plan, arguing that higher premiums and copays justify her lawsuit.

Former J&J executive Ann Lewandowski filed her latest brief July 22 in a lawsuit she brought against the company in February, alleging it breached its fiduciary duties to employees by overpaying pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts Inc. for generic specialty drugs available elsewhere at a much lower cost.

The case in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey ...