(The Center Square) - Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready is accusing CVS Pharmacy and pharmaceutical benefit manager Caremark Maintenance Choice Program of not following a state law allowing patients to choose their pharmacy.
Caremark is a PBM and a subsidiary of CVS. PBMs act as a middleman between patients and insurance companies. The company is accused in the complaint of telling patients their refills must be made a CVS and not the pharmacy of their choice.
Mulready reached a consent order with Caremark earlier this year. The company denied nine Oklahomans claims to use the pharmacy of their choice, according to Mulready's filing.
Caremark also sent out letters that said the customers could no longer get 90-day refills by mail due to the state's PBM law, according to the complaint.
Mulready is seeking fines of $100 to $10,000 for each violation and the possible suspension or revocation of the company's PBM license.
"I am convinced that CVS/Caremark does not want to follow Oklahoma law and wants to find every opportunity to skirt their responsibility," Mulready said. "I am extremely frustrated with the misinformation and confusion presented to Oklahoma consumers."
A hearing is scheduled for May 25 at the insurance commissioner's office.
Mulready has engaged with CVS before. The insurance department reached a $4.8 million settlement with the company in January 2022 over violations of Oklahoma's Patient's Right to Pharmacy Choice Act. The money was split between the state's pharmacies and the state.
Caremark did not immediately respond to a request by The Center Square seeking comment.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News