MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Walmart Inc. and its Sam's Club division have agreed to pay $825,000 to resolve allegations that they submitted claims to Minnesota's Medicaid program in violation of rules prohibiting automatic refills of Medicaid prescriptions.

Minnesota is one of at least 20 states that doesn't allow pharmacies to automatically refill Medicaid prescriptions without an explicit request from the beneficiary for each refill. The policy is meant to protect taxpayers against wasted or unnecessary prescriptions.

Walmart and Sam's Club stores allegedly continued to automatically refill Medicaid prescriptions even after pharmacy employees reported violations to managers.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota said in a statement Tuesday that the settlement money will be split between the federal government and state of Minnesota.

In the settlement, Walmart and Sam's Club denied any wrongdoing or liability.

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