May 3, 2010 - As part of our continuing coverage of health care reform, the Monitor has prepared the following digest of the new federal law's main provisions affecting the 340B drug discount program and its stakeholders. Several hundred new covered entities will be eligible for outpatient discounts, there will be greater transparency regarding pricing, increased oversight of … [Read more...]
New Covered Entities 101
SNHPA publishes descriptions, in part, to help hospitals determine if they are indeed eligible for 340B drug discounts.May 3, 2010 - As most Monitor readers might already know, the new health care reform law made a number of critical access hospitals (CAHs) and many sole community hospitals (SCHs) and rural referral centers (RRCs) eligible for 340B drug discounts. It also potentially expanded 340B to 11 free-standing cancer hospitals. But not everyone knows what a CAH, SCH, RRC or … [Read more...]
BMS Issues Refunds to 340B Providers for Dozens of Drugs
SNHPA plans to formally protest firm's aggregated approach to calculating overcharges.May 3, 2010 -Drug manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has begun sending payments to 340B covered entities for overcharges that resulted from the manufacturer's miscalculations of average manufacturer price (AMP) and best price. Hospitals report receiving a wide range of amounts, from less than $70 in one case to slightly more than $85,000 in another. BMS says the … [Read more...]
States Concerned About Lost Share of Medicaid Drug Rebate Revenues
Billions of dollars will be forfeited over 10 years, they claim.April 23, 2010 - Cash-strapped state Medicaid programs are upset to learn that they will see billions of dollars worth of anticipated new rebates from drug companies wind up instead in the federal treasury under the recently enacted health care reform measure. Federal regulators are saying they also will take rebate dollars this year from the state supplemental discounts … [Read more...]
Orphan Drug Exclusion Upends New 340B Providers’ Plans
Many newly eligible hospitals and centers have been banking on discounts on pharmaceuticals for rare diseases and conditions.April 23, 2010 - A late change to the federal health care reform law has left many hospitals newly eligible for 340B drug discounts questioning the value of enrolling in the program. It might even prompt some children's hospitals to consider withdrawing from the program just months after finally obtaining access to 340B pricing. The amendment, which House Democratic leaders … [Read more...]
Deadline for Applications Passes in Search for Mitchell’s Successor
April 16, 2010 - The first major milestone in the task of replacing Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) Director Jimmy Mitchell has been reached. The deadline for applications for the job Mitchell has held since 1997 passed at 11:59 p.m. on April 14. The long-time director, 68, announced his retirement in late January, citing the need to attend to his health and his and his … [Read more...]
340B Reforms Could Take Months to Implement, OPA Warns
Agency says newly eligible hospitals might not be able to enroll by upcoming July 1 quarterly deadline.April 16, 2010 - Although the health care reform bill recently signed into law by President Obama calls for its 340B provisions to take effect immediately, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) officials are telling stakeholders the agency will be unable to implement those provisions for at least a number of months due to the scope of the changes to the 340B … [Read more...]