January 12, 2018—Three national hospital groups and three local health systems will appeal a federal district judge’s dismissal of their lawsuit aimed at stopping a nearly 30 percent cut in 340B disproportionate share hospitals’ (DSH) and rural referral centers’ (RRC) Medicare Part B drug reimbursement that took effect on Jan. 1. On Jan. 9, the groups and systems formally … [Read more...]
House Panel Issues 340B Report; 340B Health Both Appreciative and Concerned
January 10, 2018—The full House Energy & Commerce Committee released a report this afternoon calling on Congress to clarify the 340B program’s intent, give the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) more regulatory authority over the program, increase reporting requirements for hospitals, and revise hospital eligibility requirements. 340B Health, which … [Read more...]
Drug Companies May Owe Medicaid $1.3 Billion in Unpaid Rebates
January 3, 2018—Pharmaceutical companies may have misclassified 885 drugs for Medicaid drug rebate purposes in 2016, with the top 10 in terms of highest total reimbursement accounting for potentially $1.3 billion in lost Medicaid drug rebates, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports. Four drug manufacturers were responsible for … [Read more...]
Prescription Drug Profits Surge and PhRMA Doles Out Cash
January 3, 2018—Pharmaceutical manufacturers dramatically increased their worldwide revenue between 2006 and 2015, with total drug sales jumping 45 percent, from $534 billion to $775 billion in 2015 dollars, according to a new report by the federal government’s chief oversight agency. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found two-thirds (67 percent) of drug makers saw an … [Read more...]
Judge Lets CMS Impose Medicare Part B Cuts on 340B Hospitals Starting Jan. 1
December 30, 2017—U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras yesterday dismissed on procedural grounds the lawsuit to block a 28.5 percent reduction in 340B hospitals’ Medicare Part B drug reimbursement. The case was dismissed on the basis that hospitals have not yet presented a specific claim for reimbursement that has received the reduced payment rate. The decision left open the … [Read more...]
Judge to Rule by Jan. 1 in 340B Hospital Cuts Lawsuit
December 21, 2017—A federal district judge said today he will rule before the end of the year on whether the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can implement a regulation cutting $1.6 billion in Medicare drug reimbursement to 340B disproportionate share hospitals and rural referral centers effective Jan. 1. There “is a lot at stake” in the suit against CMS by … [Read more...]
340B Hospitals Turn Up Heat to Stop Deep Medicare Drug Payment Cuts
December 14, 2017—Hospitals in the 340B drug discount program are ramping up efforts to get Congress to block deep cuts in their Medicare Part B drug payments set to begin Jan. 1. In a Dec. 13 letter to the bipartisan leadership of Congress, 340B Health, which represents more than 1,300 hospitals and health systems in 340B, said the impending cuts “will cause tremendous … [Read more...]