CINCINNATI (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine filed a lawsuit Friday against a Cincinnati-based discount drug service that allegedly made unauthorized debits to consumers' bank accounts.
Queen City Script Care and the company's owners, Thomas Fenske and Theresa Fenske, also allegedly failed to provide refunds to consumers and took unfair advantage of consumers, many of whom are low-income and elderly.
"This business offered to help consumers obtain discounted prescription medication, but instead it took advantage of them," DeWine said. "Some consumers had to close their bank accounts because the unauthorized debits would not stop. With the upcoming health care changes, we will continue to watch for businesses that make misleading claims about health care services."
Queen City Script Care charges $30 to $41 per month to help individuals get discounted or free prescriptions through patient assistance programs. The programs are run by pharmaceutical companies for the purpose of helping eligible individuals receive their medication. Individuals may apply to the patient assistance programs for free.
Queen City Script Care promised full refunds for consumers who were not able to receive medication through a patient assistance program, but the company allegedly failed to provide medication or refunds to many of its patients. Queen City Script Care allegedly debited consumers' bank accounts multiple times per month or kept making withdrawals after consumers cancelled their contracts.
Consumers alleged 20 unresolved complaints against Queen City Script Care with losses of $7,141.18.
DeWine's lawsuit alleges Queen City Script Care and the Fenskes engaged in multiple violations of Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act. The suit seeks injunctive relief, consumer restitution, civil penalties and other costs.
Ohio AG files lawsuit against allegedly deceptive drug service
