September 19, 2022— Organizations representing hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program are calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to put a permanent end to controversial payment cuts for outpatient drugs under Medicare’s outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS). The cuts, which have been in place since 2018, have reduced the … [Read more...]
340B Makes Major Contributions to Cancer Care
Sept. 13, 2022– President Biden’s call for a “moonshot” campaign to cut the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years focuses renewed attention on ensuring access to affordable cancer care for patients living with low incomes and those who live in often-underserved rural communities across the country. The 340B drug pricing program plays a vital role in … [Read more...]
UPDATED: Drugmakers Cutting 340B Discounts Reported Record Revenues Last Year
August 24, 2022– Note: This story is updated to include information for additional drug companies that have imposed 340B restrictions since March 2022. The 18 drug companies that have imposed restrictions on safety-net hospital access to 340B drug pricing program discounts collectively brought in nearly $650 billion in revenues in 2021. The banner year for the companies … [Read more...]
Research Shows 340B Meeting Its Mission
August 18, 2022— A pair of recent studies add to the growing body of research concluding that hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program are providing the lion’s share of care for patients who are most in need. These include people who cannot afford the services they need and people who historically have been underserved by the broader health care system. The … [Read more...]
Who Tells the 340B Story?
By Maureen Testoni August 15, 2022– The last time I quoted from the musical “Hamilton” in this blog was two years ago, when the attendees of the virtual 340B Coalition Summer Conference were grappling with “a world turned upside down” by a global pandemic and economic decline. As I reflect on the in-person summer conference that we held earlier this month, I am reminded of … [Read more...]
The End Appears Near for Medicare Cuts to 340B Hospitals
July 26, 2022— For more than four years, hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program have been speaking out against Medicare payment cuts that have reduced resources they use to care for patients in need. Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously decided the cuts are unlawful, Medicare officials are making plans to abandon them starting in January. Earlier … [Read more...]
Faces of 340B: Community Pharmacy Restrictions Mean Worse Health Outcomes
July 13, 2022 – Pharmacist Hali Brown becomes frustrated when she thinks about all the patients in northeast Kansas who have been hurt by drug company restrictions on discounts to safety-net hospitals. For two years, Hali’s health system, Community HealthCare System (CHCSKS), has struggled to ensure patients can access the medications they need now that 18 drug companies have … [Read more...]