By Rob Recklaus Calling the current 340B drug discount program too limited in scope and application, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush re-introduced the 340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act Jan. 9. The lead co-sponsors of the bill are Reps. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) and Bart Stupak (D-Mo). Supporters of the bill say that the legislation may, for the first time in its 5-year history, … [Read more...]
Appeals Court Reconsiders 340B Drug Data Review
Santa Clara County gets a second chance to argue its drug overcharging case in federal court.By Stuart Gordon and Karin Rives Santa Clara County’s dogged challenge of drug manufacturers’ 340B drug pricing data has taken a new turn. A federal appeals court decided Feb. 4 to review its earlier decision to limit the county’s probe of the closely held pricing components, a move sure to worry drug makers protective of such data. If the appeals court reconsiders its … [Read more...]
Merck Adds Gardasil, Other Vaccines to PAP for Public Hospitals, Clinics
Merck’s free vaccines were off limits to publicly funded pharmacies. An L.A. pharmacist protested the policy—and won.By Karin Rives Los Angeles County, population 10 million, has four 340B-covered hospitals and more than 20 health clinics that serve 2 million patients annually. In addition to the discounts they receive through the 340B program, county pharmacies rely to a large extent on patient assistance programs, or PAPs, to provide free drugs to area residents. So when Gardasil, a … [Read more...]
Patient Definition Still Stands—But for How Long?
The definition of patient still stands. The 340B community is cautiously optimistic President Obama will leave it alone.By Karin Rives In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a patient is defined simply as “an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment.” In the complex world of federal healthcare policy, the definition of a single noun can determine whether or not patients get critical care, or whether safety-net pharmacies lose or save millions of dollars – as 340B providers are well … [Read more...]
Multiple Contract Pharmacies—A Dream Yet to Come True
And what about multiple contract pharmacies? Will HRSA’s guidelines ever be published?By Victoria Aufiero and Karin Rives Two years have passed since the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) proposed to reduce red tape for 340B-covered healthcare providers that enter into multiple contract pharmacy arrangements. Today, they can only contract with one pharmacy unless they get approval from the government to form a so-called Alternative Method … [Read more...]
Drug Maker Sued Over Prices Also Skirting 340B Rules?
FTC sued Ovation over price gouging. But is the drug maker also ignoring 340B rules? The Monitor investigates Ovation’s pricing policies.By Stuart Gordon A pharmaceutical manufacturer that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says illegally cornered the market on heart drugs for critically ill premature babies may also have improperly circumvented 340B discount prices for at least five of its products, including the two drugs of concern to the FTC. Ovation Pharmaceuticals, which specializes in acquiring and … [Read more...]
CBO: Higher Medicaid Rebates May Lower Deficit By $7.2 Billion
The Congressional Budget Office is tackling the national deficit with proposals that would benefit 340B and Medicaid. But manufacturers balk at the idea of raising rebates.By Karin Rives The Medicaid rebate and 340B programs could save billions of dollars each year if Congress required drug companies to increase the minimum discounts they must provide to these programs, according to a new report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). In its annual “Budget Options” report, CBO laid out 115 options for reducing federal spending … [Read more...]