WASHINGTON (TNND) — CVS Pharmacy and several of its affiliated companies agreed to pay $315 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging they filled unlawful opioid prescriptions and then sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The settlement, which the DOJ announced on Tuesday, resolves a civil case filed in under the Biden administration in 2024 that accused CVS of violating the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. The U.S. government alleged that CVS pharmacies filled prescriptions for excessive quantities of opioids, early refills, and other medically unnecessary controlled substances.
CVS agrees to $315M settlement over opioid prescriptions: DOJ
"Not only does this settlement hold bad actors accountable for their fraudulent activities, but Americans are safer because of it," Associated Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr. wrote in a statement.
"Today's settlement is a significant milestone in the Justice Department's efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pharmacies who unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances," he added.
Federal prosecutors said CVS dispensed prescriptions from providers it knew or should have known were operating as "pill mills" -- practices in which controlled substances are prescribed without a legitimate medical purpose. The government also alleged CVS allowed staffing shortages and performance incentives to pressure...
WASHINGTON (TNND) — CVS Pharmacy and several of its affiliated companies agreed to pay $315 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging they filled unlawful opioid prescriptions and then sought reimburs...