Four employees of Lita Pharmacy Co in Greater Taichung have been questioned in relation to allegations that the National Health Insurance system was defrauded of more than NT$70 million (US$2.35 million) between 2011 and last year, the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday.
The firm’s president, surnamed Wang (王), vice president, accountant and another employee were questioned and released late on Thursday. Wang was released on bail of NT$200,000, while an employee surnamed Chen (陳), who was responsible for reporting sales to the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA), was released on NT$100,000 bail.
The others were also released, on condition that they report regularly to the police.
The prosecutors’ office said the pharmacy allegedly sold five types of common medicine at inflated prices to 449 hospitals and other institutions in central Taiwan.
For example, the office said, Lita sold Debronc, which is prescribed for respiratory problems, for NT$2 per tablet more than the actual cost. Prosecutors said the company supplies 80 percent of the Debronc tablets sold in the nation.
Prosecutors allege that between December 2011 and October last year, Lita colluded with hospitals and other medical institutions to report inflated prices to the NHIA, earning NT$71.25 million in illegal profits.
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