San Francisco-based McKesson Corp., one of the country's largest drug wholesalers, and 28 other states, including West Virginia, have reached a $151 million settlement involving allegations the company deliberately inflated drug prices by as much as 25 percent from 2001 to 2009, causing state Medicaid programs to overpay millions of dollars in reimbursements. An investigation by state and federal agencies found McKesson overbilled for more than 1,400 brand-name drugs, including commonly prescribed medications such as Adderall, Allegra, Ambien, Celexa, Lipitor, Neurontin, Prevacid, Prozac and Ritalin. McKesson representative Kris Fortner says the claims against the company are without merit, but the settlement was in the best interest of employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders. California will receive about $24 million of the settlement, while New York will receive the largest share, $36 million. The federal government settled its portion of the lawsuit in April for more than $187 million.
