October 15, 2010—More than 1,700 340B/Prime Vendor Program (PVP) participants are sharing $4.5 million in credits to their 340B drug purchasing wholesale accounts this year as a benefit of doing business with the 340B group purchasing entity. Apexus Inc., the nonprofit corporation that runs PVP under a federal contract, announced its third – and largest – revenue shareback … [Read more...]
OIG Offers Providers and Manufacturers Guidance on PAPs and Charitable Contributions
Aid for brain tumor patients and contributions for using scheduling service win approval.October 4, 2010—The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued new guidance to health care providers and drug manufacturers on patient assistance programs (PAPs) and also on charitable contributions made on providers' behalf for using a marketer's service. In an August 20 advisory opinion, OIG advised a nonprofit charitable … [Read more...]
Nearly All Drug Firms Agree To Provide 50% Price Cuts on Part D Pharmaceuticals
Cuts are a key component of effort to close "donut hole" by 2020.October 1, 2010—Virtually all of the nation's drug manufacturers have agreed to cut the cost of covered brand-name drugs and biologics in half for enrollees in Medicare Part D's infamous "donut hole" beginning next year. Drug companies had until Sept. 1 to sign agreements to give the 50 percent discounts in order to be reimbursed by Part D in 2011. The Centers for Medicare … [Read more...]
OPA Budget Remains Stuck for Now at $2.2 Million
Congress approves short-term FY 2011 spending bill before closing shop for election.October 1, 2010—Despite the Office of Pharmacy Affairs' (OPA) hopes for a significant budget increase, Congress passed stopgap spending legislation yesterday that keeps the 340B office's funding at its $2.2 million fiscal 2010 level. The legislation, called a continuing resolution, keeps the federal government afloat through Dec. 3. Congress returns for a post-election lame … [Read more...]
Senate Republicans File Bill to Restore Children’s Hospitals’ 340B Orphan Drug Discounts
Lead sponsor pledges to work with Democrats to secure its passage.October 1, 2010—Children's hospitals received some good news earlier this week in their fight to restore their 340B discounts on orphan drugs. Seven Republican U.S. senators introduced legislation on Sept. 28 to lift the ban on the hospitals' purchase of approximately 350 high-priced products used for oncology and other complicated disease states at 340B discounted prices. … [Read more...]
U.S. Supreme Court Accepts Santa Clara 340B Overcharging Case, While HHS Inspector Announces Major Crackdown on Drug Companies’ Average Manufacturer Price Reporting
September 28, 2010—The U.S. Supreme Court agreed today to review a federal appellate court decision recognizing the right of 340B covered entities to sue drug manufacturers for allegedly charging them prices above the program's statutorily defined ceiling prices. The Department of Health and Human Services' Inspector General, meanwhile, announced a major new enforcement … [Read more...]
OPA Begins Rule-making for 340B Dispute Resolution and Manufacturer Fines for Overcharges
Comments on both are due by Nov. 19.September 20, 2010—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) formally invited 340B stakeholders today to begin providing their best advice on forthcoming regulations to create an administrative dispute resolution process for the outpatient drug discount program and for fines against drug companies that deliberately overcharge providers for drugs. The … [Read more...]