Nessel fights for customers already facing higher prices
MICHIGAN — Standing up for Michigan consumers, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reached an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) agreement with pharmacies located in Holland, Madison Heights, Birch Run, and Bay City addressing complaints related to at-home COVID-19 test kit pricing.
The pharmacies, Value Center Pharmacy II in Madison Heights and Skip’s Pharmacy in Holland were selling the iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test for more than twice – and upwards of four times – the retail price available for purchasing the kits directly from the manufacturer. The NIA also alleged the prices were grossly in excess of what other brick-and-mortar pharmacies in Michigan were charging during the months when the Omicron variant was spreading throughout the country.
After discussions and a threat to take legal action, Attorney General Nessel announced the pharmacies agreed all sales of the remaining inventory of the test kits will be priced at $12.99 per box, except where a consumer’s insurance plan reimburses at a pre-set amount. The pharmacies will also pay $100 each to the two complainants that prompted the Department’s action, as well as $1,000 to the Department to be used as restitution for consumers who can provide documentation showing they paid an excessive price for an iHealth test kit between Dec. 1, 2021, and Feb. 28, 2022 from one of the four pharmacies covered by the AVC.
