CVS Health has reached a $315 million settlement with the Department of Justice that resolves allegations the pharmacy giant knowingly filled unlawful opioid prescriptions.
The department sued CVS in December 2024, alleging that the company violated the Controlled Substances Act and False Claims Act by illegally filling prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances and then seeking payment from Medicare and other government programs for those drugs.
The government alleged that the actions took place from October 2013 to December 2025.
The lawsuit claimed that CVS filled prescriptions for "dangerous and excessive" amounts of opioids, filled prescriptions too early and supplied "trinity" prescriptions that combine opioids with benzodiazepine, a muscle relaxant. In addition, DOJ argued that the company would fill prescriptions from illegal "pill mills."
The department also alleged that the unlawful actions stemmed from decisions that "prioritized corporate profits over patient safety," including staffing protocols, incentive programs and performance metrics.
In addition to the monetary fee under the settlement, CVS has agreed to implement a hotline that will allow employees or the public to report suspected cases of the illegal dispensation of controlled substances, and proactively monitor the dispensing behaviors at its pharmacies.
"Not only does this settlement hold bad actors accountable for their fraudulent activities, but Americans are safer because of it," said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. in the announcement. "Today’s settlement is a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pharmacies who unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances."
CVS said in a statement to Fierce Healthcare that says that company strongly disagrees with the allegations, and noted that the settlement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.
"We’ve implemented best-in-class and first-of-their-kind programs to help our pharmacists make the best decisions on behalf of patients," the company said. "We’re pleased to move forward and put this litigation behind us."