March 5, 2014—Details about the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) policy priorities for the 340B program this fiscal year and next have emerged in a drug industry newsletter and in a supplement to President Obama's budget request to Congress. … [Read more...]
White House Seeks $17 Million for 340B Program
$7 million would come from user fee on purchasesMarch 4, 2014—The Obama administration is seeking $17 million for the 340B drug discount program in fiscal 2015, consisting of $10 million in appropriated funds and $7 million from a 0.1 percent user fee on 340B drug purchases. … [Read more...]
CMS OK’s California’s 340B Medicaid Carve-Out Ban and AAC Billing Requirement
Lawsuit over the policy is now before a federal appeals courtFebruary 28, 2014—The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved California Medicaid's 2009 policy requiring 340B covered entities to "carve in" their Medicaid purchases and to pass their 340B discounts on to Medicaid by billing such drugs at no more than actual acquisition cost (AAC) plus a dispensing fee. … [Read more...]
Bayer Limiting Distribution of Multiple Sclerosis Drug Betaseron
Customer's 340B status will not affect allotment, company says in letterFebruary 20, 2014—Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals has limited sales of its widely used, genetically engineered multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Betaseron due to inability to meet demand, effective with orders received on or after Jan. 1, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) announced on its website today. … [Read more...]
340B Provider Groups Urge HHS to Address Manufacturer Compliance
Coalition wants OPA funding boost used to police drugmakers more closelyFebruary 20, 2014—Health care providers in the 340B program are urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to use the program's $6 million funding boost to make sure that drug manufacturers aren't overcharging for covered outpatient drugs. … [Read more...]
340B Sales Totaled $7.5 Billion in 2013, Apexus Says
New figure indicates 340B's share of total U.S. drug sales is roughly 2%February 14, 2014—Pharmaceutical purchases through the 340B discount program were an estimated $7.5 billion in 2013, the 340B Prime Vendor Program (PVP) reports. Overall U.S. spending on pharmaceutical products in 2012, the most recent year for which data are available, stood at $326 billion, according to IMS Health Informatics Institute. Together, that figure and the new … [Read more...]
HRSA Issuing Regulation on 340B Rebates for AIDS Drug Assistance Programs
Announcement raises questions about 2005 policy guidanceFebruary 13, 2014—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) plans to propose a rule that will address the extent to which state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) can collect full 340B rebates from drug manufacturers when the ADAPs pay premiums, copayments, and deductibles on health insurance that they may buy for ADAP clients. … [Read more...]