A former Centene executive is suing the company over what he called “wrongful, anti-competitive, and bullying behavior” related to a noncompete agreement.
The plaintiff, who served as vice president of pharma relations and business strategy at specialty pharmacy AcariaHealth (acquired by Centene in 2013), claims the noncompete and non-solicitation provisions in a 2023 noncompete agreement are invalid under Illinois law. In his April 22 complaint in an Illinois federal court, he argues that Centene failed to comply with the Illinois Freedom to Work Act, which requires that employees be given 14 days to review such contracts and be advised to consult with an attorney.
The lawsuit comes after Centene allegedly threatened legal action to prevent the plaintiff from taking a new position as the CEO of a niche specialty pharmacy and attending an industry conference. He resigned from Centene in June 2024 and joined his new company in January 2025. According to the complaint, Centene asserts that by accepting the new position with a competitor, the former executive violated the terms of his noncompete agreement, which restricts him from engaging with certain customers, vendors, and employees for several years.
The lawsuit is seeking a court ruling saying that Illinois law governs the dispute and that the noncompete provisions are unenforceable due to their overly broad scope and violation of public policy. The lawsuit also challenges the nationwide reach of the agreement, which would bar the plaintiff from interacting with any potential clients or employees he may have had indirect contact with during his time at AcariaHealth.
