Walgreens Agrees to $5.5M Settlement With Massachusetts
Walgreens Co. has agreed to pay $5.5 million to resolve allegations that it overcharged for prescriptions covered by the Massachusetts workers compensation insurance system. State Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement that the "settlement ensures that Walgreens does not profit from those transactions and will help our state's ongoing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic." The Virginian Pilot reports the overcharges occurred at pharmacies in Boston, Worcester, Springfield and New Bedford. The settlement also requires Walgreens to implement procedures to prevent future overcharges on opioids and other drugs under the workers compensation system, and subjects the drug store chain's future sales to state audit.
Total Retail's Take: While Walgreens said it's happy to have this matter resolved, it hasn't admitted wrong-doing. Walgreens has been open about its fight against opioid abuse, a growing epidemic across the nation, launching a national campaign in May 2017. Rather than engage in a likely lengthy, expensive court case, Walgreens chose to settle at a cost that it deemed fair.
