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U.S. investigating CVS Caremark prescription practices-LA Times

Oct 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. government is investigatingallegations that CVS Caremark Corp refilledprescriptions and submitted insurance claims to Medicare withoutgetting approval from patients, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The newspaper, quoting an official with knowledge of thematter, said an investigation had been launched by the InspectorGeneral for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,which is in charge of looking into potential Medicare fraud.

Officials at the agency and CVS Caremark, the second-biggestU.S. drug store chain, could not be reached for comment outsideregular U.S. business hours.

Medicare is the U.S. health program for the elderly anddisabled.

CVS Caremark agreed to pay $5 million in January to settlecharges of inaccurate pricing of some drugs for the elderly andthe disabled, ending a wide-ranging, multi-year probe into itsbusiness practices.

(Reporting By Neha Alawadhi in Bangalore; Editing by Ted Kerr)

((neha.alawadhi@thomsonreuters.com)(within U.S.+1 646 2238780)(outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800)(Reuters Messaging:neha.alawadhi.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: CVSCAREMARK INVESTIGATION/