Target To Pay $3M To Address Allegations That It Had Been Automatically Refilling Medicaid Recipients’ Prescriptions
Authorities say Target pharmacies knowingly and routinely enrolled MassHealth beneficiaries in the auto-refill program, then billed MassHealth. Meanwhile, in other Medicaid news, more conservative states are starting to explore expansion as it becomes popular among voters.
The Associated Press:
Target To Pay $3M To Resolve Massachusetts Medicaid Claim
Target Corp. has agreed to pay $3 million to resolve allegations that it violated rules of Massachusetts' Medicaid program. Federal and Massachusetts authorities allege Minneapolis-based Target violated federal and state False Claims Acts by automatically refilling Medicaid recipients' prescriptions and seeking payment from Medicaid. Massachusetts is among several states that prohibit pharmacies from automatically refilling Medicaid prescriptions without the beneficiary's explicit request. The policy is designed to prevent unnecessary prescriptions from being reimbursed by taxpayers. (12/11)
Marketplace:
Popular With Voters, More Conservative States Push For Medicaid Expansion
Amanda Dabrowski visited the Health Partnership Clinic in Olathe, Kansas, at the end of November, to get help signing up for Medicaid. The 38-year-old has had a tough year – her husband died, she’s disabled from a work injury, so she doesn’t have a job, and she’s caring for her seven-year-old daughter. She’d been on Medicaid during the last year, but now she was told she didn’t qualify for it. “I make too much for Medicaid, but I don’t make enough to get some assistance on the Marketplace, on Obamacare?” she said. “I don’t understand how that happens.” (Lowe, 12/10)