March 28, 2012—Some hospitals whose disproportionate share (DSH) patient percentages hover just above the level needed to qualify them for 340B drug pricing might lose their eligibility due to recent action by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). To obtain 340B pricing, DSH hospitals must have a DSH patient percentage greater than 11.75 percent. … [Read more...]
CMS Issues Final Rule for Health Insurance Exchanges
Publication coincides with Supreme Court deliberations on health care reformMarch 28, 2012—The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) yesterday formally published an interim final regulation to establish health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—the constitutionality of which will soon be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The High Court today wrapped up six hours of arguments on whether the question of ACA's … [Read more...]
Study Gauges 340B Orphan Drug Discount Restriction’s Effect
Critical access hospitals spending significantly more on the products than they otherwise wouldMarch 19, 2012—Critical access hospitals (CAHs) are spending significantly more on orphan drugs than they otherwise would if they could buy the medicines at 340B discounted prices, a new study suggests. The research, published in the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy's Innovations in Pharmacy quarterly, found that a group of 18 CAHs in Minnesota and Wisconsin spent … [Read more...]
HRSA Issues Policy Release on 340B Audits
Some drug manufacturers awaiting OPA go-ahead to commence their own auditsMarch 9, 2012—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has posted a document on the Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) Web site clarifying its policy on 340B covered entity audits. The March 5 document, called a policy release, notes that the 340B statute permits the federal government and drug manufacturers to audit covered entity records pertaining to … [Read more...]
Additional Details About 340B Hospital Recertification Emerge
Authorizing officials will get emails April 9 or 23 enabling them to certify eligibilityMarch 9, 2012—Hospital senior executives responsible for their institution's enrollment in the 340B program will receive an email from the Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) on either April 9 or April 23 containing the username, password, and instructions they will need to personally recertify that their hospital and all of its registered outpatient sites are eligible for the … [Read more...]
Influential Lawmakers Request Documents from 340B Stakeholders
Hospitals, prime vendor, and manufacturers asked to answer questions by March 15March 7, 2012—Four influential members of Congress have asked Safety Net Hospitals for Pharmaceutical Access (SNHPA), Apexus, Inc., which operates the 340B Prime Vendor Program (PVP), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) for a wide range of documents about their involvement in the 340B program. The … [Read more...]
340B Hospitals Ask FTC to Oppose Express Scripts/Medco Merger
Mega-PBM would undermine safety-net care and limit access to specialty drugs, they sayFebruary 24, 2012—Hospitals enrolled in the 340B drug discount program asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) yesterday to challenge the merger of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) Express Scripts Inc. (ESI) and Medco Health Solutions, saying the union of the two health care giants would undermine their safety-net mission and further reduce their access to specialty … [Read more...]