Walgreens to refund overcharged New Yorkers for medications

Walgreens is set to pay back customers who were overcharged for prescription medications. This follows a $100 million class-action lawsuit settlement. Customers who filled prescriptions at Walgreens up to November last year are eligible for payouts if they submit a claim by April 17. The lawsuit claimed that Walgreens overcharged insured customers for medications. It stated that the company did not honor discounts from its canceled Prescription Savings Club. The settlement covers purchases made between January 1, 2007, and November 18, 2024. Individual payouts will depend on how much each customer spent, with a maximum of $5,000 possible. Third-party payers, like benefits providers for unions, can also file claims. However, customers who paid for their drugs without insurance are not included in this settlement. Those wishing to opt out to pursue separate legal action can follow instructions provided in the settlement notice. The Prescription Savings Club had offered discounts on many generic prescriptions, with some costing as little as $5. However, the lawsuit reported that some customers were charged far more than they should have been. For example, one customer was charged nearly $188 for medications that should have cost $127. While the total settlement has been approved by a federal court, it still requires a fairness hearing on September 10. Walgreens has not admitted any wrongdoing. The company has also announced plans to close about 1,200 store locations over the next three years.