ImprimirBristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) sobornó a los médicos a prescribir medicamentos de la empresa farmacéutica, de acuerdo con una demanda sirena de alerta "que persigue el comisionado de seguros de California.
Comisionado de Dave Jones, dijo en una conferencia de prensa hoy en Los Ángeles que la gente de ventas de la farmacéutica de California proporcionan los médicos con viajes a los campos de baloncesto y otros sobornos para aumentar las recetas de sus medicamentos, incluyendo Plavix y Pravachol. La demanda es el mayor caso de fraude de seguros de salud realizadas por una agencia de California, dijo Jones.
Compañías de seguros de California gastó 3,5 millones de dólares para cubrir los costos de los fármacos implicados en la demanda, según el comisionado. La demanda busca $ 10,000 por cada reclamo de seguro fraudulentas causados por los sobornos presunta, devolución de ganancias ilegales, y el triple de la cantidad de daños y perjuicios.
"Este tipo de fraude ha azotado a nuestro sistema de seguros de salud, llevando a miles de millones de dólares anuales en costos adicionales de atención de salud a nivel nacional", dijo Jones en un comunicado.
Tres ex empleados de Nueva York, Bristol-Myers presentó la acción de sirena de alerta "en sobre sellado en el 2007 en la Corte Superior de Los Ángeles. La demanda fue revelada la semana pasada. La demanda qui tam llamada fue tomada por el comisionado, quien compartirá con ninguna de las recuperaciones de los trabajadores.
Presuntos sobornos
La demanda alega que la empresa proporcionó comisiones ilegales a los médicos con el fin de aumentar las ventas farmacéuticas en California. Bristol-Myers en 2007 accedió a pagar 515 millones dólares para resolver alegaciones de EE.UU. se cobró al gobierno por las drogas y promover medicamentos para usos no aprobados.
"Bristol-Myers Squibb cree que esta demanda no tiene mérito y la empresa se defenderá con vigor", dijo el portavoz de la compañía de Laura Hortas hoy en una entrevista.
La demanda alega que los representantes de ventas de Bristol-Myers, con el permiso de gestión, que se celebró horas felices con los miembros de los Lakers de Los Angeles y que "alta prescripción" se invitó a los médicos de rutina para ver Lakers partidos en casa en una suite de lujo.
El laboratorio también se paga para las excursiones de golf, eventos de baile de samba a los médicos hispanos, entradas a la Filarmónica de Los Ángeles, y compró licor para los médicos para inducirlos a aumentar sus recetas y les recompensa por ello, de acuerdo con la denuncia.
Si un médico no aumentó sus recetas de medicamentos de la compañía, Bristol-Myers utilizó una táctica llamada "agitación de los médicos hacia abajo", mediante el cual los representantes de ventas que los médicos advierten que no estarían recibiendo muestras gratis o invitados a cenas y complejo eventos, según la denuncia.
Jones dijo en conferencia de prensa de hoy que los fiscales de California se había optado por no intervenir en el caso.
El caso es California y Michael Wilson v. Bristol Myers Squibb Inc., BC 367873, Corte Superior de California (Los Angeles).
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Bristol-Myers Bribed Doctors in Drug Scheme, California Commissioner Says
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) bribed doctors to prescribe the pharmaceutical company’s drugs, according to a whistle-blower lawsuit being pursued by the California insurance commissioner.
Commissioner Dave Jones said at a press conference today in Los Angeles that the drugmaker’s sales people in California provided physicians with trips to basketball camps and other kickbacks to boost prescriptions of its drugs, including Plavix and Pravachol. The lawsuit is the largest health-insurance fraud case pursued by a California agency, Jones said.
California insurance companies spent $3.5 billion to cover the costs of the drugs involved in the lawsuit, according to the commissioner. The lawsuit seeks $10,000 for each fraudulent insurance claim caused by the alleged kickbacks, disgorgement of illegal profits, and triple the amount of damages.
“This sort of fraud has long plagued our health-insurance system, leading to billions of dollars annually in added health- care costs nationally,” Jones said today in a statement.
Three former employees of New York-based Bristol-Myers filed the whistle-blower action under seal in 2007 in Superior Court in Los Angeles. The suit was unsealed last week. The so- called qui tam lawsuit was taken over by the commissioner, who will share any recoveries with the employees.
Kickbacks Alleged
"Bristol-Myers Squibb cree que esta demanda no tiene mérito y la empresa se defenderá con vigor", dijo el portavoz de la compañía de Laura Hortas hoy en una entrevista.
La demanda alega que los representantes de ventas de Bristol-Myers, con el permiso de gestión, que se celebró horas felices con los miembros de los Lakers de Los Angeles y que "alta prescripción" se invitó a los médicos de rutina para ver Lakers partidos en casa en una suite de lujo.
El laboratorio también se paga para las excursiones de golf, eventos de baile de samba a los médicos hispanos, entradas a la Filarmónica de Los Ángeles, y compró licor para los médicos para inducirlos a aumentar sus recetas y les recompensa por ello, de acuerdo con la denuncia.
Si un médico no aumentó sus recetas de medicamentos de la compañía, Bristol-Myers utilizó una táctica llamada "agitación de los médicos hacia abajo", mediante el cual los representantes de ventas que los médicos advierten que no estarían recibiendo muestras gratis o invitados a cenas y complejo eventos, según la denuncia.
Jones dijo en conferencia de prensa de hoy que los fiscales de California se había optado por no intervenir en el caso.
El caso es California y Michael Wilson v. Bristol Myers Squibb Inc., BC 367873, Corte Superior de California (Los Angeles).
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Bristol-Myers Bribed Doctors in Drug Scheme, California Commissioner Says
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) bribed doctors to prescribe the pharmaceutical company’s drugs, according to a whistle-blower lawsuit being pursued by the California insurance commissioner.
Commissioner Dave Jones said at a press conference today in Los Angeles that the drugmaker’s sales people in California provided physicians with trips to basketball camps and other kickbacks to boost prescriptions of its drugs, including Plavix and Pravachol. The lawsuit is the largest health-insurance fraud case pursued by a California agency, Jones said.
California insurance companies spent $3.5 billion to cover the costs of the drugs involved in the lawsuit, according to the commissioner. The lawsuit seeks $10,000 for each fraudulent insurance claim caused by the alleged kickbacks, disgorgement of illegal profits, and triple the amount of damages.
“This sort of fraud has long plagued our health-insurance system, leading to billions of dollars annually in added health- care costs nationally,” Jones said today in a statement.
Three former employees of New York-based Bristol-Myers filed the whistle-blower action under seal in 2007 in Superior Court in Los Angeles. The suit was unsealed last week. The so- called qui tam lawsuit was taken over by the commissioner, who will share any recoveries with the employees.
Kickbacks Alleged
The lawsuit claims that the company provided illegal kickbacks to doctors in order to increase pharmaceutical sales in California. Bristol-Myers in 2007 agreed to pay $515 million to settle U.S. allegations it overcharged the government for drugs and promoted medicines for unapproved uses.
“Bristol-Myers Squibb believes this lawsuit has no merit and the company will defend itself vigorously,” company spokeswoman Laura Hortas said today in an interview.
The complaint alleges that Bristol-Myers sales representatives, with permission from management, held happy hours with members of the Los Angeles Lakers and that “high prescribing” physicians were routinely invited to watch Lakers home games at a luxury suite.
The drugmaker also paid for golf outings, samba dance events for Hispanic doctors, tickets to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and bought liquor for physicians to induce them to increase their prescriptions and to reward them for doing so, according to the complaint.
If a physician didn’t increase his prescriptions of the company’s drugs, Bristol-Myers used a tactic called “shaking the doctors down,” whereby sales representatives would warn the physicians he wouldn’t be getting free samples or invited to dinner events and resort events, according to the complaint.
Jones said at today’s news conference that California prosecutors had opted not to intervene in the case.
The case is California and Michael Wilson v. Bristol Myers Squibb Inc., BC 367873, California Superior Court (Los Angeles County).
“Bristol-Myers Squibb believes this lawsuit has no merit and the company will defend itself vigorously,” company spokeswoman Laura Hortas said today in an interview.
The complaint alleges that Bristol-Myers sales representatives, with permission from management, held happy hours with members of the Los Angeles Lakers and that “high prescribing” physicians were routinely invited to watch Lakers home games at a luxury suite.
The drugmaker also paid for golf outings, samba dance events for Hispanic doctors, tickets to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and bought liquor for physicians to induce them to increase their prescriptions and to reward them for doing so, according to the complaint.
If a physician didn’t increase his prescriptions of the company’s drugs, Bristol-Myers used a tactic called “shaking the doctors down,” whereby sales representatives would warn the physicians he wouldn’t be getting free samples or invited to dinner events and resort events, according to the complaint.
Jones said at today’s news conference that California prosecutors had opted not to intervene in the case.
The case is California and Michael Wilson v. Bristol Myers Squibb Inc., BC 367873, California Superior Court (Los Angeles County).
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