November 19, 2013—The Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) has delayed the start of 340B recertification for sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics, tuberculosis (TB) clinics, and Ryan White HIV/AIDS program grantees until the first quarter of 2014. Recertification was scheduled to begin for them yesterday. [ms-protect-content id=”2799″]
OPA announced the postponement on its website on Nov. 15. “We are working proactively, testing our systems, to ensure the nearly 4,000 affected covered entity sites will have a smooth recertification process,” a spokesperson for the Health Resources and Services Administration explained. “In order to make this happen it was determined to delay the recertification until the first quarter of 2014.”
Earlier this month, OPA announced on the 340B database home page that it was unable to accept online database change requests from STD or TB grantees. Covered entities often need to update their 340B records prior to recertification.
OPA said STD, TB, and Ryan White entities should continue to make sure that all of their information in the database is current and that they are able to receive email from hrsa.gov addresses.
STD, TB, and Ryan White covered entities have had to validate their 340B eligibility annually since the program began. OPA began annual recertification for all other types of entities last year. Hospitals were the most recent group of covered entities to recertify.
PA said entities should direct their questions about 340B registration and recertification to the 340B Prime Vendor Program at apexusanswers@340bpvp.com or (888) 340-2787. [/ms-protect-content]