W. Scott Simmer

"Each of our clients came forward because they thought it was the right thing to do to improve the PBM industry," said W. Scott Simmer, a partner with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi and lead counsel to the three plaintiffs.

As part of its purchase of AdvancePCS, Inc. in 2004, Caremark Rx, Inc. assumed responsibility for defending these cases but specifically denies any liability or wrongdoing.,This settlement lets the PBM industry know that if they engage in fraudulent conduct, they will be found out, and there will be significant consequences,, said W. Scott Simmer, a partner with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. and lead counsel to the three plaintiffs. ,Each of our clients came forward because they thought it was the right thing to do to improve the PBM industry.

W. Scott Simmer
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W. Scott Simmer

Partner

"This settlement lets the PBM industry know that if they engage in fraudulent conduct, they will be found out, and there will be significant consequences," said W. Scott Simmer, a partner with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. and lead counsel to the three plaintiffs.

"This settlement lets the PBM industry know that if they engage in fraudulent conduct, they will be found out, and there will be significant consequences," said W. Scott Simmer, a partner with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. and lead counsel to the three plaintiffs.

"This qui tam settlement shows that the conduct we complained of will not be tolerated by employees or the government, and will lead to thorough scrutiny, legal action, and monetary consequences," said W. Scott Simmer, a partner in the health care litigation practice with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. (Washington, D.C.) "Our client is to be commended."
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Simmer is available for interviews.

Institutional investors and potential shareholders may not understand the potential legal risks Medco faces which could seriously jeopardize the profitability of the company, says W. Scott Simmer, a partner and health care litigator with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP (Washington.) "Merck-Medco's recent disclosures, including its revenue reportings, a Department of Justice investigation, a class action lawsuit and several whistle blower cases, raise serious questions about the value of this IPO," says Simmer."And it appears that Merck is trying to walk away from any legal liability."Simmer is available for comment.

Merck's divestment of Medco may be less about "creating value," as the company has claimed, than about distancing Merck from Medco, says W. Scott Simmer, partner at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP (Washington).Merck recently announced it will spin off Merck-Medco, its prescription benefits management subsidiary, in an initial public offering later this year."Given the significant risk Medco faces of government fines and class action litigation, it would appear that Merck is concerned it might get painted with the same brush as Medco," says Simmer.The IPO of the country's second largest prescription benefits management company is expected to take place by mid-year.Simmer is available for interviews.

Annamarie A. Daley, Brent L. Reichert, Jeffrey R. Vesel and W. Scott Simmer of Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi in Minneapolis represented the plaintiffs.