On the recordAugust 5, 2015
we all know the Department of Defense's record with bungled acquisitions that led to $500 hammers and $7,000 coffee makers. The Pentagon has a tough time keeping up with unscrupulous contractors who have figured out how to get rich on the taxpayer's dime, and unfortunately I have learned of yet another example of this. Several dozen pharmacies around the country specialize in compound pharmaceuticals. These are drugs that are combinations of two or more prescription medications. Many of these pharmacies are on the up-and- up, helping people, and our servicemembers, recover from illnesses or wounds. But a good number of these compounding pharmacies have linked up with high-pressure salesmen and disreputable physicians to scam the Department of Defense out of as much as $1.2 billion in taxpayer money in this year alone. The sales pitch went like this. A U.S. servicemember, a military retiree, or their spouse might get a phone call at home asking whether a TRICARE beneficiary is suffering from pain. The telemarketer might ask a few simple questions, get a little bit of personal information, and suddenly, weeks later, prescription creams would start showing up in the mail. In other cases, a food truck may pull up in front of a military base. If a servicemember wanted a hot dog, he or she could listen to a pitch about compounded pharmaceuticals and sign a piece of paper.…
