United States Files Suit Against Omnicare Inc. for Accepting Kickbacks from Drug Manufacturer to Promote an Anti-Epileptic Drug in Nursing Homes
Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 22, 2014. The United States has filed a civil False Claims Act complaint against Omnicare Inc. alleging that it solicited and received millions of dollars in kickbacks from pharmaceutical manufacturer Abbott Laboratories, the Justice Department announced today. Omnicare is the nation’s largest provider of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy consulting services to nursing homes. Federal regulations designed to protect nursing home residents from unnecessary drugs require nursing homes to retain consulting pharmacists such as those provided by Omnicare to ensure that residents’ drug prescriptions are appropriate.
In its complaint, the United States alleges that Omnicare solicited and received kickbacks from Abbott in exchange for purchasing and recommending the prescription drug Depakote for controlling behavioral disturbances exhibited by dementia patients residing in nursing homes serviced by Omnicare. According to the complaint, Omnicare’s pharmacists reviewed nursing home patients’ charts at least monthly and made recommendations to physicians on what drugs should be prescribed for those patients. The government alleges that Omnicare touted its influence over physicians in nursing homes in order to secure kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies such as Abbott.
It is my understanding that accepting kickbacks involving Medicare/Medicaid.. that each claim is worth 25 K fine and 5 yrs in jail.. Who do you think is going to JAIL ? Of course, this is at least 4th or 5th time that Omnicare has been caught and found guilty of Medicare/Medicaid fraud and abuse over the last 8 yrs +/-. Fines galore … but.. not aware of anyone going to jail..
Filed under: General Problems
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