Settlement paid to the United States was reached with Amgen Inc., a California-based biotechnology company to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. The settlement resolved allegations that Amegen paid kickbacks to long-term care pharmacy providers Omnicare Inc., PharMerica Corporation and Kindred Healthcare Inc. in return for implementing “therapeutic interchange” programs that were designed to switch Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries from a competitor drug to Aranesp. – “By this agreement we are making important strides in holding drug manufacturers accountable for fraudulent and abusive practices not only in South Carolina but nationwide.” – Bill Nettles