Monday, May 4, 2009

Corporate Greed Gets The Welcome Mat In Kingston

Looks like there are already some issues at the new Walgreens under construction in Kingston.

Seems that Walgreens has challenged the IBEW to a "duel" by using a contractor that undermines the wages and benefits of electricians in the area. Here we see that sometimes even local contractors can be greedy and pay their workers low wages. This should be a good one.

The Mayor obviously forgot to mention to Walgreens that he wanted to create good, well paying local jobs. Looks like it's gonna be a hot summer.


Here is the handbill that HVLR obtained that is being passed passed out on the streets of Kingston. A little detective work by the IBEW shows just how far and deep corporate greed goes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Are You Paying Too Much At Walgreens?


Walgreen Co., owner of Walgreens Pharmacy, has agreed to pay $35 million to settle a federal lawsuit accusing it of defrauding Medicaid by switching patients onto more expensive drugs.


The Federal Government sued Walgreens based on the testimony of whistleblower Bernard Lisitza. Lisitza, a pharmacist, accused the company of secretly switching patients to more expensive versions of the heartburn drug ranitidine (the generic form of Zantac), the Parkinson's drug selegiline (a generic version of Eldepryl) and a generic form of the anti-depressant Prozac. By making minor changes, such as giving patients tablets instead of capsules, the company was able to collect more money in Medicaid reimbursements.


These changes were widespread, Lisitza said, and not made for any medical reason.


"Switching between tablets and capsules to deliver medications might seem harmless, but when that is done solely to increase profit and in violation of federal and state regulations that are designed to protect patients, pharmacies must know that they are subjecting themselves to the possibility of triple damages, civil penalties and legal fees," said U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

The violations allegedly took place in 42 states and Puerto Rico and resulted in the public health program paying up to 400 percent more than necessary.


While stopping short of admitting guilt, Walgreens agreed in the settlement to enter a five-year compliance agreement to make sure that no more medically unnecessary drug switches happen from now on.
The agreement will be overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Walgreens will also pay $18.6 million to the U.S. government and $16.4 million to various state Medicaid programs.

This Handbill is brought to you by IBEW Local 363 in an effort to inform the public in regard to Walgreens and not to stop any employee or any person working for any employer from working or making deliveries and not to organize Walgreens employees.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Kingston consumers should pay close attention about this "bait ansd switch" trick with their medicine and prescriptions.


Paying 400% more for your medicine is nothing to sneeze about.

Walgreens Pharmacy / Bad Neighbor!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rite Aide is union staffed by SEIU so why would you shop at Walgreens anyway?

Anonymous said...

Union health plans process thousands of claims for prescriptions every year.

Walgreens shouldn't get one dime from any of those plans.

Give me a stack of those handbills, I'll put some up too.

I'm going to Rite Aid

Anonymous said...

A - a -a -a -a -chooo

Walgreens is making me sick already. I'm supporting the union.

Anonymous said...

I will not go to Walgreens ever again. But, it doesn't surprise me that a scum bag company like that is doing business with the scumbag politians in Kingston. Most of them have a D in there name

Anonymous said...

Walgreens has the best deals. If you look at the ads in the Sunday Freeman, you will see that Walgreens blows away Rite-Aid & CVS. I currently use Rite-Aid's pharmacy service, which is terrible and I can't wait for the new Walgreens to open, so I can switch to them for my medicine's.

Anonymous said...

6:50 - Its a very telling hint about your character that you cant wait to support a company that dishonestly switched presciptions and charged our senior citizens 400% more in 42 states.

Maybe they will switch viagra for your headache pills and secretly help grow your little brain to the size of a funcyioning adult.

Their are always assholes like you available to dishonest businesses who will sell out their elders and neighbors to save a dime only to find in the end they paid 400% more.

Anonymous said...

6:50 Is that you Mayor Sottile??

Anonymous said...

6:50 DUMB ASS. If you don't like rite aid go to walgreens and get your drugs too. In case you haven't noticed thers one already in Kingston. DUMB ASS

Anonymous said...

6:50 Walgreens never has anything they advertise in their flyer. Bait nad switch is how they live. Why wait to change pharmacy's. Do it now if you're so unhappy with rite aid. You might not be Sotile, but you lie just like he does.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone really noticed the excessive amount of corporate greed there really is out there? And I am sure that all of the examples of it haven't been uncovered and probably never will be! It is absolutely disgusting how these people bilk the system for millions of dollars right under our noses.

It truly is time to empower the middleclass to stand up to this and expose it for what it is - shameful.

Seems funny that these same dishonest people are the same ones who will stop at nothing to stop workers from organizing and gaining the strength to speak out and demand fairness across the board, starting with their own workplace.

I want to see Walgreens and the rest of these bums EXPOSED!

Anonymous said...

I have been a Democrat for over 40 years. What has happened to them in Kingston?

They seem anti-union all of a sudden. I worked IBEW for 40 years and am now retired. All these years I voted Democrat. I won't again.

I don't care who they put up, Reynolds, Noble, or old Lumpy Sottile. I'm voting for Cahill. He may be a Republican, but at least he doesn't have his head in his ass.

Anonymous said...

You are all a bunch of idiots. Get a life.

Anonymous said...

Heard Sotile had a fit about the hand bills going around Kingston. Walgreens is dirty and I'll never shop there. My sister has been getting ripped off for years there. Now she goes to Rite Aid and has no problems. She has a thousand dollar cap on prescription drugs and would reach it by March at Walgreens. Its May now and she hasn't hit the cap yet at Rite Aid.

Anonymous said...

7:55 whats the beef?

Anonymous said...

I got a flier on Broadway and I am very glad that someone brought this out. We senior citizens need to know who we can and cannot trust when we get our medications. Thank you to the IBEW for the information.