CMS has fined health insurer Aetna $1 million over errors in its pharmacy network listings, according to a Hartford Courant report.
The penalty was imposed after 3,767 Aetna members complained to CMS. The insurer had 6,887 pharmacies listed on its website as in-network for 2015 that were really out-of-network, according to the notice CMS sent to Aetna.
"Beneficiaries that selected a plan based on its in-network pharmacies may have been misled by this incorrect information," wrote Gerald J. Mulcahy, director of CMS' oversight and enforcement group, to Francis Soistman, who oversees Aetna's government services business, according to the report.
Aetna spokeswoman Kendall Marcocci released a statement to the Hartford Courant saying, "Unfortunately, a select number of pharmacies were listed incorrectly as participating in some of Aetna's Part D pharmacy networks. These issues were swiftly resolved, and the majority of pharmacies and our members were not affected by this situation."
Aetna has until June 2 to request a hearing to appeal the penalty.
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