PharMerica to Pay $31.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act Lawsuit

The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) recently announced that PharMerica Corp. will pay $31.5 million, including more than $4 million to a whistleblower, to settle alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and False Claims Act (“FCA”) related to the company’s improper dispensing of narcotics and submission of false claims to Medicare Part D.

PharMerica is a long-term care pharmacy that dispenses drugs to residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.  The government alleged that PharMerica dispensed controlled substances listed in Schedule II of the CSA, including oxycodone and morphine, in non-emergency situations based solely on requests from the long-term facility rather than a valid prescription from a practitioner.  Schedule II narcotics were thus allegedly dispensed without physician confirmation that they were necessary and should be administered to the resident.  Under the settlement, PharMerica has agreed to pay $8 million to resolve these allegations.

The complaint also alleged that PharMerica violated the FCA by knowingly causing the submission of false claims to Medicare Part D for these improperly dispensed Schedule II drugs.  The FCA imposes treble damages and penalties for the knowing submission of false claims for federal funds.  PharMerica has agreed to pay $23.5 million to resolve its alleged FCA violations.

The FCA claims resolved by Thursday’s settlement were originally brought by Jennifer Denk, a pharmacist formerly employed by PharMerica, under the whistleblower provisions of the act, which authorize private parties to sue on behalf of the United States and to receive a portion of any recovery.  The act permits the United States to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it did in this case with respect to some of Ms. Denk’s allegations.  Ms. Denk will receive $4.3 million as her share of the settlement.

PharMerica’s agreement with the United States includes not only a settlement with DOJ but a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General as well.  The Corporate Integrity Agreement calls for the appointment of an official compliance officer, the establishment of a compliance committee, and the submission of federal health care program claims for independent review for the next five years, among other reforms.