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Kroger Agreed to Pay $346,000 for Allegedly Violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law by Submitting Claims for Prescriptions Filled by Unlicensed Pharmacists and Paying Remuneration in the Form of Price Reductions on Prescriptions

After they self-disclosed conduct to OIG, The Kroger Co., Kroger Limited Partnership I, Fred Meyer Stores, Inc., Kroger Texas, L.P., and Dillon Companies, LLC (collectively, “Kroger”), headquartered in Ohio, agreed to pay $346,558.94 for allegedly violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law including provisions applicable to physician self-referrals and kickbacks. OIG alleged that Kroger: (1) paid remuneration to physicians their family members in the form of price reductions on prescription drugs that these individuals filled at Kroger pharmacies and paid for with cash; (2) paid remuneration to non-physician healthcare practitioners in the form of price reductions on prescription drugs that these individuals filled at Kroger pharmacies and paid for with cash; and (3) submitted false claims to Federal health care programs for prescriptions filled by pharmacists who were unlicensed.

Action Details

  • Date:October 27, 2020
  • Enforcement Types:
    • Fraud Self-Disclosures