Sibley, Iowa — A Sibley pharmacist and his pharmacy face a hearing before the Iowa Board of Pharmacy in early January.
Remedies Pharmacy’s pharmacist-in-charge and owner Alan Hoppe is charged with violating the duties of a pharmacist-in-charge and engaging in unethical conduct.
The charges allege that between March of 2013 and August 2014, Remedies submitted 19 claims to Iowa Medicaid for Dexedrine 10 mg capsules. The charges allege that while Iowa Medicaid was billed for Dexedrine on 19 occasions, prescription hard-copy labels show that the generic medication was dispensed instead on 16 of the 19 occasions.
Pharmacy board records indicate that this resulted in a Medicaid overpayment to Remedies of over $22,000.
Hoppe also faced a criminal case in which he was charged with First Degree Fraudulent Practice, a class C felony; and tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor. Court records indicate that this past July, Hoppe was given a deferred judgment on the Fraudulent Practice charge and fined a civil penalty of $750. He was also sentenced to a year of probation. The tampering with records charge was dismissed.
According to Iowa Assistant Attorney General Meghan Gavin, the Board of Pharmacy’s action is separate from the criminal case. She says the criminal matter has no automatic effect on Hoppe’s license.
Gavin says a hearing in front of the Board of Pharmacy concerning Hoppe’s license and Remedies Pharmacy’s license is scheduled for the first week of January.
She says that should the Board find that the charges against Hoppe and the Pharmacy have been proven, the Board would have a wide range of sanctions it can order including a citation, a fine of up to $25,000, additional education, suspension, and/or revocation.
