October 6, 2015—For the second time in less than a month, a generic-drug manufacturer under congressional investigation for price increases has announced that it owes 340B covered entities refunds due to overcharges. … [Read more...]
340B Comes Up During Two Congressional Hearings
Questions asked about program's possible effects on Medicare and private cancer clinicsOctober 1, 2015—Questions about whether hospitals' 340B drug discounts might be costing Medicare more and harming private cancer clinics were asked at two hearings on Capitol Hill this morning. … [Read more...]
Drug Industry Complimentary of Proposed Rules
AIR 340B urges HRSA to be more assertive toward providersSeptember 30, 2015—The Health Resources and Services Administration’s proposed 340B mega-guidance is an "encouraging first step" toward reform, says the drug-industry-led group AIR 340B in a new communiqué. … [Read more...]
Congress Wants Drug Makers to Explain Price Increases
Lawmakers call Valeant CEO to appear alongside Turing CEO at hearingSeptember 29, 2015—Eighteen members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have asked Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) to “issue a subpoena compelling Valeant Pharmaceuticals to turn over documents the company is withholding from Congress relating to massive price increases earlier this year for two drugs used by hospitals and other providers to treat serious … [Read more...]
State AIDS Programs Want 340B Investigation of Drugmaker at Center of Price-Hike Firestorm
Meanwhile, a senior Congressional Democrat begins his own 340B investigation of TuringSeptember 24, 2015—The senior Democrat on the House Oversight Committee asked the head of Turing Pharmaceuticals yesterday for all documents about the company's 340B pricing of Daraprim – which Turing recently bought from another company and immediately raised the price of by over 5,000 percent. … [Read more...]
Clinton Releasing Plan for Lowering Prescription Drug Costs
Drug pricing has become a marquee issue in the Democratic race for presidentSeptember 22, 2015—Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is releasing a multi-point plan today "to hold drug companies accountable to lower drug costs for Americans." … [Read more...]
Think Tank Recommends Policies to Rein in Drug Costs
Plan relies more on incentives than on direct price controlsSeptember 21, 2015—A think tank aligned with the Democratic Party has published a 45-page plan aimed at cutting prescription drug costs and giving drugmakers a bigger incentive to bring highly effective products to market. … [Read more...]