Manhattan U.S. Attorney Simultaneously Files Additional Healthcare Fraud Claims Against Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. And Settles Lawsuit against Bioscrip, Inc., In Connection With a Multimillion-Dollar Kickback Scheme Involving a Prescription Drug

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ronald T. Hosko, the Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigative Division ("FBI"), announced today that the United States has filed additional civil healthcare fraud claims in Manhattan federal court against NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORP. ("NOVARTIS") and BIOSCRIP, INC. ("BIOSCRIP"). The Government's Amended Complaint seeks treble damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act against NOVARTIS and BIOSCRIP for NOVARTIS providing kickbacks, in the form of patient referrals and in the guise of rebates, to BIOSCRIP in exchange for BIOSCRIP recommending refills to Exjade patients. The lawsuit alleges that, as a result of this kickback scheme, Medicare and Medicaid have paid tens of millions of dollars in reimbursements based on false, kickback-tainted claims for Exjade shipped by BIOSCRIP.

Read more on www.justice.gov

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