Florida Pharmacies Settle $7.4 Million False Claims Act Cases

Two pharmacies will pay at least $7.4 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by adding unnecessary drugs to patient prescriptions to boost reimbursement, and by routinely waiving co-payment obligations in Jacksonville, Fla., according to the Justice Department Thursday.

Smart Pharmacy Inc., SP2 LLC, and owner Gregory Balotin allegedly added the antipsychotic oral drug, aripiprazole, to topical pain creams to increase profits on prescriptions paid for by Medicare Part D and TRICARE, said the agency. The Department also alleges the pharmacies improperly waived co-payments to encourage patients to accept the pain cream prescriptions.

In addition to ...