PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Pennsylvania-based pharmacy and its owner will have to pay big to resolve liability allegations under the False Claims Act.
West End Services, Inc., based in Allentown, and its owner, Christopher Leon, agreed to pay $825,000 to the federal government to resolve allegations of billing Medicare for medications that were never dispensed, United States Attorney David Metcalf announced.
Metcalf alleged the company billed Medicare from January 2014 to February 2019 for medicines never dispensed that included Latuda, Humira, Abilify, Seroquel, Truvada and others.
“Pharmacy fraud remains a priority for our office and taxpayer dollars should be spent on needed medications, not wasted on fraud and abuse,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “Pharmacies and pharmacists have a responsibility to serve as gatekeepers of a closed system of prescription drug distribution. That responsibility was allegedly used for profit here. This investigation and resolution illustrate this District’s continued emphasis on combating healthcare fraud, including pharmacy fraud. One of the most powerful tools to combat this type of waste, fraud, and abuse is the False Claims Act, and this District maintains one of the most active affirmative civil dockets in the country.”
Other similar Pennsylvania pharmacy fraud settlements include:
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