September 17, 2014—Drug companies that invite health care providers to talk about possible 340B drug diversion or duplicate discounts will often find that their customers are quite open and can either explain any anomalies or will be quick to rectify the matter, an attorney for manufacturers and an industry consultant said at an industry conference in Chicago yesterday. … [Read more...]
Are Any 340B Sub-Regulatory Guidelines and Policies Binding?
At drug industry gathering, a lawyer for manufacturers says maybe notSeptember 16, 2014—The fallout from last May's 340B orphan drug exclusion court decision casts doubt over whether certain 340B program requirements are binding, a prominent attorney for manufacturers said at an industry conference in Chicago today.[ms-protect-content id="2799"] As a result, she said, drugmakers should have serious conversations about whether they should keep … [Read more...]
Hospital Recertification Period Ends
Twenty-seven hospitals drop out of 340B programSeptember 16, 2014—The Office of Pharmacy Affairs has announced that the annual recertification period for hospitals in the 340B program is now complete. According to the agency’s database, 27 hospitals failed to furnish the required paperwork and were cut from the program on Sept. 11. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] Despite the dropped hospitals, OPA said 2014 saw the lowest … [Read more...]
Former U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) Goes to Bat for 340B
"With so much partisan squabbling in Washington, it’s important to remember there are programs that not only work, but enjoy bipartisan backing," former U.S. Rep Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) reminds readers of The Hill's Congress Blog this morning. And the 340B drug discount program is one of them, he says. "I was proud to support it when I served in Congress," Gutknecht … [Read more...]
HRSA Lists Steps for Self-Reporting 340B Noncompliance
Agency says it is working to standardize the process and identify best practicesSeptember 12, 2014—The Health Resources and Services Administration has outlined the steps providers should follow to inform it when a "material breach" of 340B program compliance has occurred. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] The list appears in HRSA's September 340B Program Update on the Office of Pharmacy Affairs website. "We are working to standardize the self-disclosure … [Read more...]
Hospitals Brief Capitol Hill Staff on 340B’s Importance
Bravo to the American Hospital Association for its briefing on Capitol Hill yesterday on how hospitals are using 340B savings to improve access to low-cost medications and provide quality care for vulnerable patients. Congressional staffers and members of the press heard from senior executives and pharmacy directors at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore; the University of … [Read more...]
Hospitals Travel to Capitol Hill to Promote 340B
At briefing for congressional staffers, they tell how discounts help them fulfill missionsSeptember 10, 2014— Officials from four hospitals traveled to Capitol Hill today to make the case for preserving what they say is the 340B program's historic mission of reducing safety-net providers drug costs so they can serve more patients and provide more comprehensive services. They spoke at a briefing for congressional staff members organized by the American Hospital … [Read more...]