In a strategic legal maneuver, OptumRx Inc., a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, has initiated lawsuits against five counties in Kentucky. This action arises from the inclusion of the company as a defendant in opioid litigation, which OptumRx claims was unlawful. The pharmacy benefit manager, alongside Express Scripts, has issued public records requests to over 1,000 cities and counties. These requests aim to ascertain the appropriateness of the legal actions taken against them within the extensive web of opioid-related lawsuits.
Previously, both OptumRx and Express Scripts attempted to have U.S. District Judge Dan Polster recused from the opioid multidistrict litigation. This attempt followed the discovery of purported ex parte communications with the judge through public records. The conflicts tied to these communications add layers of complexity to the ongoing legal battles surrounding the opioid crisis.
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