Thread by @ninaandtito

This one made me so mad, I needed some time to calm down before tweeting it out.
3 Pharmaceutical Companies Agree to Pay a Total of Over $122M to Resolve Allegations That They Paid Kickbacks Through Co-Pay Assistance Foundations
H/t @jbadomics
justice.gov/opa/pr/three-p…

First off, we have charity fraud.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Lundbeck LLC, & Alexion Pharmaceuticals will pay to “resolve allegations that they each violated the False Claims Act by illegally paying the Medicare or Civilian Health and Medical Program (ChampVA) copays for their own...

... products, through purportedly independent foundations that the companies used as mere conduits.”

Secondly, by doing this, they are actually pushing drug prices higher.
““We are committed to ensuring that pharmaceutical companies do not use third-party foundations to pay kickbacks masking the high prices those companies charge for their drugs,” said U.S. Attorney...

... Andrew E. Lelling. “This misconduct is widespread, and enforcement will continue until pharmaceutical companies stop circumventing the anti-kickback laws to artificially bolster high drug prices, all at the expense of American taxpayers.”

Thirdly, these actions increase the cost of healthcare under Medicare, which costs EVERYONE more money.
“These settlements demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to safeguard the Medicare program and ensure that patients receive treatment solely based on their medical needs,” said...

... Joseph R. Bonavolonta, FBI Boston. “Not only did these companies undermine a program that was set up to assist patients in decreasing the cost of their drugs, but they threatened the financial integrity of Medicare, to which we all contribute and on which we all depend.”