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An investigation showed that Dr. Walter Wrenn, 80, fabricated the patient’s diagnosis in order for Keystone First to approve filling the prescribed medications, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.
The patient’s opioid prescriptions far exceeded the recommended 90 milligrams per day, Shapiro said.
On Keystone First’s authorization form, Dr. Wrenn stated that the patient had “metastatic lung cancer," and "received regular drug screens," Shapiro said.
A review of medical records from their family doctor, hospital admission records, and the autopsy report show that the patient never had metastatic lung cancer, Shapiro said.
Keystone First relied on the information provided by Dr. Wrenn, and approved medications that were paid with Medicaid funds, Shapiro said.
Keystone later reported that based on medical records received from Dr. Wrenn, there were numerous instances of insufficient or discrepant documentation in patient files to justify the prescriptions they were given from Dr. Wrenn, according to the criminal complaint.
Additionally, Keystone reported concerns that Dr. Wrenn's prescribing contributed to the deaths of at least two Keystone members and resulted in overdose hospitalizations of at least five Keystone members, the criminal complaint detailed.
On March 2, 2019, the patient filled prescriptions for 60 units of Morphine, 180 units of Oxycodone, 90 units of Alprazolam, and 60 units of Temazepam, Shapiro said.
The patient died the next day as a result of an accidental overdose from cocaine, oxycodone, and morphine, Shapiro said.
“Dr. Wrenn had a duty to care for his patients, and he failed by recklessly prescribing highly addictive medications which continue to fuel overdose deaths across Pennsylvania,” said Shapiro.
“My office will continue to hold individuals accountable who knowingly put the lives of others at risk.”
Agents from the Office of the Attorney General and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested Dr. Wrenn on Wednesday and charged him with drug delivery resulting in death, involuntary manslaughter, violation of the Drug Act, recklessly endangering another person, tampering with public records and Medicaid fraud.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Eric Stryd.
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