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CVS agrees to pay $315 million over DOJ opioid prescription claims
Fox Business • • business
Key Points:
- CVS has agreed to pay $315 million to settle allegations by the Justice Department that it illegally filled opioid and other controlled substance prescriptions and sought payment from Medicare and federal health programs between 2013 and 2025.
- The DOJ accused CVS of filling prescriptions lacking legitimate medical purpose, including excessive opioid quantities, early refills, dangerous drug combinations, and prescriptions from "pill mill" prescribers, often billing federal programs for these.
- CVS denied wrongdoing but entered the settlement, which also includes an agreement with the DEA to implement enhanced safeguards such as a reporting hotline, monitoring dispensing patterns, and evaluating suspicious prescribers.
- The settlement is part of broader DOJ efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by targeting pharmacies, following CVS's prior $5 billion opioid-related settlement in 2022.
- DOJ officials emphasized that the settlement holds CVS accountable and aims to improve public safety by preventing fraudulent prescription practices.
