November 5, 2013—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released seven more brief summaries of findings from its audits of 340B covered entities in fiscal year 2012, raising the total to 49 out of 51 audits conducted last year. … [Read more...]
Newest AIR340B Member Nailed for Fraud
Johnson & Johnson—which less than a week ago was accused in California of cheating on 340B discounts for AIDS drugs—has just agreed to pay $2.2 billion to settle a slew of civil and criminal claims, mainly over the illegal marketing of its antipsychotic Risperdal and several other medicines. It is one of the largest health care fraud settlements in U.S. history, including … [Read more...]
ACA Expands 340B Eligibility but Also Puts Squeeze on Hospitals
Some critics of the 340B drug discount program say it should be phased out because millions of people will get health coverage under health care reform. This argument ignores that other parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are squeezing public and private nonprofit hospitals' finances—making hospitals' continued access to 340B drug discounts more important than … [Read more...]
AIDS Group Files Second Suit Alleging 340B Overcharges
Says Johnson & Johnson wrongly denied it up to $2 million in discountsNovember 1, 2013—The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has filed suit in California against drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and its Janssen Therapeutics and Janssen Biotech units to recover as much as $2 million in 340B drug discounts that it claims the family of companies failed to provide it between 2005 and 2012. … [Read more...]
Medicare Outpatient Payment Final Rule Delayed Due to Sequester
In July, CMS proposed continuing ASP plus 6% rate for specified high-cost drugsOctober 31, 2013—Final regulations setting next year's Medicare reimbursement rates for hospital outpatient services and specified high-cost drugs will be held up for about a month due to the recent partial government shutdown. … [Read more...]
Judge Agrees to Speed Up 340B Orphan Drug Lawsuit
All filings in advance of hearing are due by Jan. 17October 31, 2013—A federal district judge has approved the federal government's and drug manufacturers' joint motion to speed up the industry’s lawsuit challenging the legality of the 340B orphan drug exclusion regulation. … [Read more...]
PhRMA and HHS Want to Resolve 340B Orphan Drug Suit Quickly
If judge agrees, ruling on the merits of industry's arguments could come as soon as JanuaryOctober 24, 2013—The federal government and drug manufacturers have agreed to fast-track the industry's lawsuit challenging the legality of the 340B orphan drug exclusion regulation. … [Read more...]