November 7, 2012—The Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) significantly revised its 340B "flexibilities during disasters" policy yesterday just four days after activating it in New York and New Jersey in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Under the revised policy, it is no longer clear whether OPA will give hospitals, health centers, and other providers affected by the storm … [Read more...]

October 26, 2012—HRSA has issued a request for comment on proposed forms relating to audits and dispute resolution. Earlier this year, HRSA launched a number of audits of covered entities to determine if they are in compliance with program requirements. … [Read more...]

October 26, 2012—After thoroughly overhauling its web site earlier this month, Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) has continued to make changes to its online content. As reported earlier in The Monitor, the changeover occurred during the evening of Oct. 4-5. Initially, OPA included a newly-reorganized FAQ section. Several days after unveiling the new web site, however, OPA … [Read more...]

October 12, 2012—A voluntary embargo on the use of a new billing code to flag prescriptions filled with 340B discounted drugs ends early next week, clearing the way for the code's wide-scale implementation. Although the code, developed by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), has been available for over a year, NCPDP advised parties not to use it until … [Read more...]

October 9, 2012—The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published Supplemental Security Income (SSI) percentages for 2010 that could affect hospitals' eligibility for 340B drug discounts. The Medicare disproportionate share (DSH) adjustment percentage is a figure used to calculate a Medicare add-on payment to hospitals that serve a large volume of indigent … [Read more...]

October 5, 2012—The Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) has thoroughly overhauled its Web site, including consolidating some sections, eliminating others, drastically reducing the number of navigation links on its home page, and significantly reorienting the entire site around the theme of program compliance. The changeover occurred during the evening of Oct. 4-5. … [Read more...]

October 2, 2012—The Senate Judiciary Committee's senior Republican has sent letters to three 340B hospitals in North Carolina —Carolinas Medical Center, University of North Carolina Hospital, and Duke University Health System—seeking information about their participation in the 340B program and how they use their drug discount savings. In an Oct. 1 news release, Sen. Charles … [Read more...]