RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) - A Vermont pharmacy has sued a health plan sponsor, alleging the company illegally steered patients to CVS pharmacies and refused reimbursements submitted by the Rutland Pharmacy.
The Rutland Herald reports the complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court by High Mountain Corp., the owner of the Rutland Pharmacy, claims MVP Health Care pushed customers to buy specialty drugs from CVS.
According to the suit, MVP Health Care rejected claims from Rutland Pharmacy and other pharmacies owned by High Mountain Corp.
An MVP Health Care spokeswoman declined to comment.
The complaint says the pharmacy’s rejection of claims from the Rutland Pharmacy has cost the company more than $100,000.
The attorney for the group filing the complaint says the case is important for two main reasons.
“One, obviously for independent pharmacies of Vermont and their ability to compete and, indeed, to stay in business,” said attorney Michael Endler. “But secondly, and perhaps more pointedly, it is very important for consumers in Vermont so that they can continue to have choice and utilize locally owned pharmacies that they may have been getting prescriptions filled at for generations.”
The suit refers to a 2004 Vermont law designed to ensure parity between brick-and-mortar pharmacies and mail pharmacies.
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Information from: Rutland Herald, http://www.rutlandherald.com/
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