Centene will pay South Carolina $25.9 million to settle allegations the company overcharged the state's Medicaid program for pharmacy services.
The settlement also resolves allegations Centene misrepresented the true cost of services, failed to disclose discounts to South Carolina and filed improper reporting to the state about its pharmacy benefit services, according to a Dec. 29 news release.
The agreement also requires a commitment from Centene to comply with state laws and to "use business practices providing full transparency related to the adjudication and payment of all pharmacy benefit claims," according to the release.
With the latest settlement, Centene has paid at least 15 states to settle allegations it overcharged Medicaid programs for prescription drugs by failing to pass discounted rates on to states. Two other states, Indiana and California, settled with Centene in 2023. The company paid those states $66 million and $215 million, respectively. The California settlement was the largest agreement Centene has made to date.