Walgreens sues benefits manager

Walgreens, the largest U.S. drugstore chain, sued Express Scripts, the third-biggest U.S. drug benefits manager, for more than $7.8 million Friday.

The suit comes two days after Express Scripts sued the Deerfield-based Walgreens, saying Express Scripts had overpaid more than $25 million.

Express Scripts, based in St. Louis, manages prescription benefits and supplies drugs-some of them from Walgreens-to members.

In its lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Walgreens accused the St. Louis company of breach of contract and said asked for an accurate accounting to determine how much it is owed.

The suit said that during "contentious" negotiations over a new contract Express Scripts engaged in unauthorized audits and wrongfully "clawed back" or recouped money paid to Walgreens totaling more than $7.8 million.

Express Scripts said in its lawsuit filed in federal court in St. Louis that it has withheld $13.1 million in payments because of what it calls overcharges by Walgreens. It also asks for permission to conduct telephone and other types of audits, which Walgreens said it is not entitled to.

Express Scripts claimed Walgreens submitted claims improperly, including substitutions for prescriptions without doctors' orders. Walgreens said it was not required to keep copies of prescriptions and was not given time to find the ones it does have.

"Their lawsuit is groundless and was filed solely in an attempt to beat us to the courthouse," said Michael Polzin, Walgreens spokesman.

Daily Herald Wire Services contributed to this report.