CVS to Pay $450K Settlement Following DEA Investigation
GoLocalProv
CVS to Pay $450K Settlement Following DEA Investigation
“The diversion and misuse of prescription painkillers are a public health crisis in the State of Rhode Island,” commented U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha. “Even in cases where there is no evidence of abuse or nefarious intent, this Office remains committed to using all the legal tools at our disposal to ensure that everyone in the chain of controlled substance distribution -- from physicians to pharmacists -- abides by the strict requirements of the law.”
The settlement caps an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the DEA Office of Diversion Control of CVS’ conduct at its Rhode Island retail pharmacy locations in filling prescriptions for various controlled substances with a high potential for abuse. Under the Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations, substances such as painkillers and opioids can only be prescribed for legitimate medical purposes by a physician. The law, however, also places a “corresponding responsibility” on the pharmacist filling the prescription to ensure that the prescription is valid and legal, and that that the prescriber has the legal authority to prescribe the drug. The Act also imposes a number of recordkeeping requirements.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCVS Case
The U.S. Attorney's office said that in this case, the United States alleged that CVS retail pharmacies in Rhode Island filled a number of forged prescriptions with invalid DEA numbers, and filled multiple prescriptions written by psychiatric nurse practitioners for the opioid painkiller hydrocodone, despite the fact that these practitioners were not legally permitted to prescribe these drugs. Additionally, the government alleged that CVS had recordkeeping deficiencies.
Under the terms of a civil agreement, CVS will pay a civil penalty of $450,000 for its alleged conduct in the State of Rhode Island. CVS, while acknowledging that its pharmacists bear a corresponding responsibility under the Controlled Substances Act, has denied wrongdoing in this case.
“DEA registrants are responsible to handle controlled substances in compliance with the Controlled Substance Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Our obligation is to improve public safety and public health, and we are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners nationwide to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”
This matter was litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Cunha and Bethany N. Wong.
#50 to #1: Doctors in RI with the Most Medicare Prescription Claims
#50
Prescriber: Robert Cicchelli MD
City: Middletown
Claims Filled: 12,483
Total Cost: $548K
# of Medicare D Patients: 480
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 23%
#49
Prescriber: Parul Shah MD
City: East Providence
Claims Filled: 12,498
Total Cost: $547K
# of Medicare D Patients: 499
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 19%
#48
Prescriber: Amber Gul M.D.
City: Pawtucket
Claims Filled: 12,694
Total Cost: $524K
# of Medicare D Patients: 463
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 22%
#47
Prescriber: Mechery Davis MD
City: Warwick
Claims Filled: 13,052
Total Cost: $534K
# of Medicare D Patients: 443
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#46
Prescriber: Cassandra Constantino MD
City: Bristol
Claims Filled: 13,054
Total Cost: $493K
# of Medicare D Patients: 530
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 14%
#45
Prescriber: Joan Harrison M.D.
City: Tiverton
Claims Filled: 13,219
Total Cost: $541K
# of Medicare D Patients: 465
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 16%
#44
Prescriber: Alberto Erfe MD
City: Woonsocket
Claims Filled: 13,269
Total Cost: $748K
# of Medicare D Patients: 286
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 28%
#43
Prescriber: Richard Ryter MD
City: Smithfield
Claims Filled: 13,350
Total Cost: $490K
# of Medicare D Patients: 611
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#42
Prescriber: Stephen Beaupre MD
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 13,397
Total Cost: $559K
# of Medicare D Patients: 421
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#41
Prescriber: Peter Eller M.D.
City: Pawtucket
Claims Filled: 13,465
Total Cost: $596K
# of Medicare D Patients: 709
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#40
Prescriber: Jason Boudjouk M.D.
City: Warwick
Claims Filled: 13,488
Total Cost: $616K
# of Medicare D Patients: 419
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 20%
#39
Prescriber: Stephanie Krusz MD
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 13,525
Total Cost: $508K
# of Medicare D Patients: 514
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 19%
#38
Prescriber: Gilbert Teixeira DO
City: East Providence
Claims Filled: 13,654
Total Cost: $664K
# of Medicare D Patients: 530
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 17%
#37
Prescriber: Richard Leach DO
City: East Greenwich
Claims Filled: 13,655
Total Cost: $494K
# of Medicare D Patients: 541
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 17%
#36
Prescriber: James Cardi M.D.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 14,253
Total Cost: $554K
# of Medicare D Patients: 621
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 16%
#35
Prescriber: Leonard Mannarelli D.O.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 14,515
Total Cost: $682K
# of Medicare D Patients: 423
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 19%
#34
Prescriber: John Bandola M.D.
City: Wakefield
Claims Filled: 14,736
Total Cost: $583K
# of Medicare D Patients: 537
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 18%
#33
Prescriber: Jeffry Winters MD
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 15,013
Total Cost: $535K
# of Medicare D Patients: 684
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#32
Prescriber: Amir Alizadeh, MD Inc. MD
City: North Providence
Claims Filled: 15,019
Total Cost: $506K
# of Medicare D Patients: 683
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#31
Prescriber: Herman Ayvazyan MD
City: East Providence
Claims Filled: 15,075
Total Cost: $670K
# of Medicare D Patients: 580
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 19%
#30
Prescriber: Fred Ferri MD
City: Johnston
Claims Filled: 15,147
Total Cost: $446K
# of Medicare D Patients: 596
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 13%
#29
Prescriber: Angelo Dicenso M.D.
City: Johnston
Claims Filled: 15,324
Total Cost: $482K
# of Medicare D Patients: 659
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#28
Prescriber: Kimberly Humulock DO
City: Warwick
Claims Filled: 15,337
Total Cost: $614K
# of Medicare D Patients: 492
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 17%
#27
Prescriber: Greigstone Yearwood M.D.
City: Woonsocket
Claims Filled: 15,401
Total Cost: $754K
# of Medicare D Patients: 540
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 18%
#26
Prescriber: Donald McNiece MD
City: Wakefield
Claims Filled: 15,571
Total Cost: $657K
# of Medicare D Patients: 706
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 19%
#25
Prescriber: Jeffrey Drogin MD
City: East Providence
Claims Filled: 15,686
Total Cost: $936K
# of Medicare D Patients: 711
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 22%
#24
Prescriber: David DiCecco M.D.
City: North Providence
Claims Filled: 15,690
Total Cost: $627K
# of Medicare D Patients: 418
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 23%
#23
Prescriber: Dennis Botelho MD
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 15,845
Total Cost: $633K
# of Medicare D Patients: 584
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 17%
#22
Prescriber: Bassam Khabbaz MD
City: Cumberland
Claims Filled: 15,884
Total Cost: $861K
# of Medicare D Patients: 310
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 26%
#21
Prescriber: Sumaira Ali M.D.
City: Greenville
Claims Filled: 16,266
Total Cost: $761K
# of Medicare D Patients: 446
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 25%
#20
Prescriber: Gregory Allen D.O.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 16,475
Total Cost: $862K
# of Medicare D Patients: 435
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 26%
#19
Prescriber: Hugo Yamada MD
City: Lincoln
Claims Filled: 16,605
Total Cost: $967K
# of Medicare D Patients: 594
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 21%
#18
Prescriber: Nicholas Turilli D.O.
City: Warwick
Claims Filled: 16,871
Total Cost: $867K
# of Medicare D Patients: 659
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 23%
#17
Prescriber: Pamela Harrop MD
City: Bristol
Claims Filled: 17,393
Total Cost: $667K
# of Medicare D Patients: 485
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 18%
#16
Prescriber: Kathleen Gordon DO
City: Johnston
Claims Filled: 17,864
Total Cost: $734K
# of Medicare D Patients: 626
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 21%
#15
Prescriber: Job Sandoval MD
City: Westerly
Claims Filled: 18,348
Total Cost: $567K
# of Medicare D Patients: 744
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 14%
#14
Prescriber: Howard Perrone M.D.
City: Bristol
Claims Filled: 18,585
Total Cost: $746K
# of Medicare D Patients: 531
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 21%
#13
Prescriber: Stanley Balon M.D.
City: Cumberland
Claims Filled: 19,272
Total Cost: $663K
# of Medicare D Patients: 664
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 15%
#12
Prescriber: Olga Tverskaya M.D.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 19,766
Total Cost: $928K
# of Medicare D Patients: 530
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 23%
#11
Prescriber: Christopher Superczynski M.D.
City: Woonsocket
Claims Filled: 20,483
Total Cost: $901K
# of Medicare D Patients: 1,008
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 16%
#10
Prescriber: Edward Gauthier M.D.
City: North Providence
Claims Filled: 20,741
Total Cost: $961K
# of Medicare D Patients: 384
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 27%
#9
Prescriber: William Beliveau MD
City: Johnston
Claims Filled: 20,888
Total Cost: $952K
# of Medicare D Patients: 931
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 25%
#8
Prescriber: Frank Maggiacomo D.O.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 22,043
Total Cost: $1.01M
# of Medicare D Patients: 869
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 19%
#7
Prescriber: Ahmad Al-Raqqad M.D.
City: Pawtucket
Claims Filled: 23,773
Total Cost: $1.03M
# of Medicare D Patients: 581
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 21%
#6
Prescriber: Anthony Lombardi MD
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 24,203
Total Cost: $1.11M
# of Medicare D Patients: 713
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 24%
#5
Prescriber: Ralph Santoro M.D.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 28,596
Total Cost: $1.32M
# of Medicare D Patients: 641
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 24%
#4
Prescriber: Avanish Mehta M.D.
City: Cumberland
Claims Filled: 30,098
Total Cost: $1.48M
# of Medicare D Patients: 480
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 26%
#3
Prescriber: Richard Ruggieri M.D.
City: Providence
Claims Filled: 37,529
Total Cost: $1.82M
# of Medicare D Patients: 1,167
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 23%
#2
Prescriber: Shahzad Khurshid M.D.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 38,060
Total Cost: $1.74M
# of Medicare D Patients: 731
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 26%
#1
Prescriber: Hao Huang M.D.
City: Cranston
Claims Filled: 83,917
Total Cost: $4.03M
# of Medicare D Patients: 1,568
Claims for Brand Name Drugs: 26%
