Ex-pharmaceutical firm worker headed to prison in $1M scheme

NEWARK, N.J. – A former pharmaceutical company worker is headed to prison for accepting thousands of dollars from a marketing firm in exchange for filling medically unnecessary prescriptions, causing her employer to lose nearly $1 million.

Julie Andresen previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and received a 15-month sentence Wednesday. The 40-year-old Haddonfield, New Jersey, resident will forfeit $161,378 and must pay $956,885 in restitution.

Federal prosecutors say Andresen arranged through a doctor friend to obtain and fill medically unnecessary prescriptions through her company’s prescription drug plan. Her employer wasn’t identified.

Andresen gave the doctor pre-printed forms listing compounded medications, which are customized for patients’ specific needs. She then faxed prescriptions to out-of-state compounding pharmacies as directed by the marketing firm, which took a portion of her reimbursed amount.