Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
This week, Southern California Public Radio has been reporting on the lucrative business of compound cream pain medications.
Compound creams are the custom-made pharmaceutical creams intended for use by those who can't take traditional pills.
Southern California Public Radio's Investigative Producer Karen Foshay has traced the increase in their use - and their cost - especially in workers' comp cases.
Now she looks at possible crimes. Foshay has the story of what prosecutors say is one of California's largest ever workers' comp scams, involving over 20,000 exhibits, 15 defendants and more than $100 million in alleged overbilling.
Related: The price of pain: Indictments allege a massive compound cream scam
This is the third in a series on the compound cream industry. You can read Part One here and Part Two here.