Four Hudson County Pharmacies Pay $4.3 Million To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Billing for Drugs Not Dispensed

NEWARK, N.J. – Four pharmacies located in West New York, Bayonne, Union City, and Jersey City have agreed to pay $4,325,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing federal health care programs for medications never dispensed, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.

According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreements, inventory records showed that the below pharmacies did not purchase enough medications from wholesalers to fill the prescriptions billed to the federal health care programs.

• Pan American Inc. agreed to pay $3,100,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 25, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs  Pan American never dispensed to beneficiaries.
• St. Mina and St. Moses Pharmacy d/b/a Well Care Pharmacy agreed to pay $490,000 to resolve allegations that from May 31, 2016 through March 1, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs the pharmacies never dispensed to beneficiaries.
• Farmacia Latina Corp. agreed to pay $375,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 24, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs Farmacia Latina never dispensed to beneficiaries.
• Perfect Care Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $360,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 25, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs Perfect Care never dispensed to beneficiaries.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kruti Dharia and Robert Toll of the Health Care Fraud & Opioids Enforcement Unit.

The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

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