How to get rich - defraud Medicare & Medicaid

http://www.euronews.com/business-newswires/1934184-us-sues-novartis-alleging-kickbacks-to-pharmacies/

04/28/2013
Reuters Euronews
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Bernard Vaughan in New York; Editing by Gary Hill and David Gregorio

(Reuters) – The U.S. government filed a civil fraud lawsuit against Novartis AG on Tuesday, accusing a unit of the Swiss drug maker of causing the Medicare and Medicaid programs to pay tens of millions of dollars in reimbursements based on fraudulent, kickback-tainted claims.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan said Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp had since 2005 induced at least 20 pharmacies to switch thousands of kidney transplant patients to its immunosuppressant drug Myfortic from competitors’ drugs, in exchange for kickbacks disguised as rebates and discounts.

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In his announcement, Bharara called Novartis a “repeat offender,” referring to a settlement of health care fraud charges based on kickbacks less than three years ago.

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