May 23, 2018—Hospitals are telling the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that it should stop delaying important 340B regulations to police drug manufacturer pricing and overcharges. In letters to the government, major hospital groups said the time for delay is over and urged the Trump administration to enforce the rules immediately. Public comments on HHS’s … [Read more...]
Members of Congress Aim to Drum up Support for 340B
May 16, 2018—Two stalwart supporters of the 340B program in Congress appealed today for more help engaging lawmakers and more of the public in efforts to protect the drug discount program. Reps. David McKinley (R-W.V.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) spoke at a May 16 Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by Vizient, a healthcare services company that contracts with 340B hospitals … [Read more...]
Patients, Consumers, and Providers Urge Congress to Support 340B
May 15, 2018—A broad coalition of patient and consumer advocacy groups urged congressional leaders yesterday to join them “in supporting, not weakening, the 340B program.” The 61 groups made the appeal as Congress debates a variety of proposals to alter the program and on the eve of a Senate committee hearing this morning on the drug discount program. In their May 14 letter, … [Read more...]
Blogger’s Misleading 340B Numbers
May 11, 2018 – In a recent Drug Channels blog post, Adam Fein reports that 340B spending has reached $19.3 billion in 2017, and claims that 340B is “a significant and growing part of the [pharmaceutical] industry.” However, that conclusion is not supported by the facts. In fact, Fein’s own numbers suggest a different narrative regarding the size and impact of the 340B program … [Read more...]
What Does President Trump’s Drug Pricing Plan Mean for 340B?
May 11, 2018—While the 340B drug pricing program played a minor supporting role in President Trump’s drug pricing announcements today, it is certain to engender significant debate in the months ahead. The announcements made today no new policy proposals but did continue rhetorical attacks on the program. The President never uttered the words “340B” but did reference the … [Read more...]
Hospitals’ Lawsuit Over Medicare’s Deep 340B Cuts Has Court Hearing
May 7, 2018—Federal appeals court judges in Washington focused largely on procedural issues during a May 4 hearing over a nearly 30 percent cut in Medicare drug payments to certain 340B hospitals. A lawsuit by hospital groups and health systems over the cut was the subject of oral arguments before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia … [Read more...]
Faces of 340B: Healthy Kids, Healthy Adults
May 2, 2018—Children make up one of the key groups of people who are helped by the 340B drug pricing program. At JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas, a commitment to use 340B to benefit some of the health system’s youngest patients is on full display. JPS is the safety net hospital system for Tarrant County. Using the $50 million in savings that it gets through the 340B … [Read more...]