October 9, 2014—Brand-name drug manufacturers filed suit in federal district court today seeking to invalidate the 340B orphan drug exclusion interpretative rule. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] In an Oct. 9 filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America argues that the Health Resources and Service … [Read more...]
Lawmakers Question Skyrocketing Generic Drug Prices
One common antibiotic's cost rose over 8,000% in just 6 months, they noteOctober 8, 2014—Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) have sent letters to 14 pharmaceutical manufacturers asking them to explain why the prices of some of their generic drugs have risen so sharply. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] Sen. Sanders chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging and Rep. … [Read more...]
Hospitals Rebut 340B Study’s Conclusions
Hospitals groups have issued strong rebuttals of a new study in the journal Health Affairs that its authors say supports criticism by the drug industry and others that disproportionate share hospitals increasingly use 340B savings to help themselves at the expense of the poor. In a reply article published in Health Affairs, Safety Net Hospitals for Pharmaceutical Access says … [Read more...]
Hospitals Rebut Health Affairs Study’s 340B Conclusions
Researchers say their analysis backs arguments made by drug industry and other criticsOctober 7, 2014—Hospitals groups have responded forcefully to a new study in the journal Health Affairs that its authors say supports the position that disproportionate share hospitals increasingly use 340B savings to help themselves at the expense of the poor. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] In a reply article submitted for publication in the Health Affairs blog, Safety Net … [Read more...]
OPA to Collect 340B Ceiling-Price Information
Long-awaited move required under ACASeptember 30, 2014 --The Office of Pharmacy Affairs published a notice in today’s Federal Register announcing plans to collect pricing information from manufacturers to help verify the accuracy of 340B ceiling prices, as required by the Affordable Care Act. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] In the notice, the Health Resources and Services Administration says it has already … [Read more...]
Apexus Awarded HRSA’s Prime Vendor Contract
Group will continue to serve as the 340B Prime Vendor five more yearsSeptember 30, 2014—The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded a five-year contract to Apexus to continue to run the 340B Prime Vendor Program. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] This is Apexus’ third consecutive five-year contract to run the program, which negotiates pharmaceutical pricing below the 340B ceiling price for its members and offers them other … [Read more...]
HHS Looks at ACA’s Early Effect on Hospital Uncompensated Care
Less of a burden expected, mainly in Medicaid expansion statesSeptember 25, 2014—Preliminary data on health care reform's Medicaid and insurance coverage expansions suggest some hospitals' uncompensated care burden will lessen in 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] Based on data from five large for-profit hospital chains and three state hospital associations, HHS estimates … [Read more...]