CVS has agreed to pay $315 million to settle a federal case alleging that the pharmacy chain improperly filled prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances and sought reimbursement for some prescriptions from Medicare and other federal health programs, according to the Justice Department.
The government’s case, filed in 2024, concerns prescriptions filled from October 2013 through December 2025, the department said. Prosecutors alleged that some prescriptions lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were issued outside the usual course of professional practice. The allegations included excessive quantities, early refills, risky combinations of drugs and prescriptions from providers the government described as “pill mill” prescribers.
The department also alleged that CVS pharmacists filled prescriptions despite warning signs and that corporate performance measures, compensation incentives and staffing policies contributed to the conduct. These are government allegations resolved through the settlement, not findings admitted by CVS.
CVS disputed the allegations and did not admit wrongdoing as part of the agreement. The company said its pharmacists are trained in the safe and appropriate use of medications.
In addition to the payment, CVS entered an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration requiring safeguards that include a reporting hotline, monitoring of dispensing patterns and procedures for reviewing prescribers suspected of illegal prescribing, according to the Justice Department.
CVS previously agreed in 2022 to pay nearly $5 billion to resolve opioid-related claims brought by state, local and Native American tribal governments.
