Board Set To Vote On Drug Contract Extension

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Maryland's Board of Public Works is considering a one-year contract extension for a Rockville company to provide prescription drug coverage to state employees while a state board weighs the fate of a longer, $2.4 billion drug contract.

The BPW is scheduled to vote Wednesday on granting the one-year extension to Catalyst, a Rockville-based provider which currently holds the state's prescription drug contract.

The board has twice withdrawn a proposal to award the lucrative contract to Express Scripts Inc., but Catalyst has protested that award, noting that Maryland was one of 28 states in 2008 to win money from Express Scripts in a settlement over allegations of prescription fraud. Express Scripts did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)