Madeline Carpinelli Wallack's response to the recent study in Health Affairs on hospitals' alleged misuse of 340B drug discounts scores a direct hit on a highly flawed piece of research. We wrote about SNHPA's and AHA's reactions to the Health Affairs study earlier this month. Researchers Rena Conti and Peter Bach said they found that "that hospital-affiliated clinics that … [Read more...]
Infographic: 340B DSH Hospitals Have Huge Low-Income Patient Loads and Uncompensated Care Costs
Pass it along. … [Read more...]
Hospitals Applaud HRSA for Telling Drugmakers to Repay 340B Orphan Drug Overcharges
No word yet on how manufacturers are responding to agency's recent lettersOctober 21, 2014—Hospital groups are applauding federal health officials for telling drugmakers they owe rural and freestanding cancer hospitals refunds for overcharges on orphan drugs. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] "We fully support the Health Resources and Services Administration’s enforcement action against the many pharmaceutical manufacturers who are not following the … [Read more...]
Rising Specialty Drug Costs Worry Nonprofit Health Plans
Marketplace about to explode as more high-cost, handle-with-care drugs come online, group warnsOctober 20, 2014—While specialty drugs account for less than 1 percent of all U.S. prescriptions, they accounted for more than 25 percent of the country's total pharmacy costs last year, the Alliance of Community Health Plans notes in a new issue brief. ACHP recently held briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss its findings and to offer perspectives on escalating specialty drug … [Read more...]
Lawmakers Demand HHS Action on Rising Generic Drug Prices
Hospital, other providers, and federal health care programs are being squeezed, they sayOctober 17, 2014—Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services yesterday what her department is doing to address "staggering increases" in generic drug prices. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] "Since we began looking into this issue two weeks ago, we have received more than 1,500 stories from individuals who … [Read more...]
HRSA Tells Drugmakers To Repay Hospitals for 340B Orphan Drug Overcharges
Agency says companies are not following the law or their agreements with the governmentOctober 16, 2014—The Health Resources and Services Administration has told an undetermined number of orphan drug manufacturers that they are out of compliance with 340B statutory requirements and their pricing agreements with the government and must notify it of their plans to repay affected rural and freestanding cancer hospitals for overcharges. It is HRSA's most significant … [Read more...]
HRSA Ramps Ups 340B Oversight of Centers, Clinics, and HIV/AIDS Programs
Grantees' site visits expanded to address 340B complianceOctober 16, 2014—The Health Resources and Services Administration has started asking its grantee health centers, specialized clinics, and Ryan White HIV/AIDS programs about their 340B compliance during site visits, and their answers could trigger "further investigation," HRSA's Office of Pharmacy Affairs announced in its latest monthly 340B program update. [ms-protect-content … [Read more...]