Lawsuit Claims Drug Companies Have Raised Insurance Costs In North Carolina

A North Carolina man is suing more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies, claiming they have contributed to the rise of insurance costs in the state.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by Kevin Wilk of Wake County.

The News and Observer reports Wilk is seeking class action status on behalf of himself and anyone who purchased health insurance policies in North Carolina since 1996.

The suit accuses the defendants of misleading physicians and consumers about the addictive qualities of the drugs they manufactured.

Wilk maintains that misstatements by the companies led to costly prescriptions and subsequent addiction treatments, which in turn meant higher costs for buyers of private health insurance.

State Attorney General Josh Stein has previously filed several lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies for their marketing of painkillers.