An Ohio man who owned four pharmacies was convicted Feb. 27 for dispensing a gastroenterology generic drug without prescriptions and overcharging Medicaid, the Justice Department said.
Nathanael Thompson, 45, the owner and pharmacist, and Sanam Ahmad, 34, operations manager and pharmacy technician, managed the four pharmacies in Columbus. The two conspired to charge Medicaid for one manufacturer's omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor that has a significantly higher reimbursement rate than its generic.
While charging for the more expensive version, they purchased the generic from big-box warehouse retail stores. The pharmacies also allowed the drug to be dispensed without prescriptions.
The scheme defrauded Medicaid of $2.3 million, according to the Justice Department.
The defendants were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and two counts of defrauding Medicaid. Each charge faces a maximum penalty of 10 years, but they have not been sentenced yet.