March 25, 2014—A drug-industry led coalition seeking major changes to the 340B drug discount program claimed today that relatively few 340B hospitals account for most of the charity care that all such hospitals provide.[ms-protect-content id="2799"] It said the finding raises questions whether current 340B eligibility criteria for disproportionate share hospitals "are serving … [Read more...]
Rural America Needs 340B
If Big Pharma persuades Congress to limit or end the 340B program, "hardworking Americans in the heartland of the country will lose as hospitals cut back on prescription discounts, treatment and services," the head of the National Rural Health Association argues today in a commentary in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. "Many of our hospitals and clinics would have to … [Read more...]
HRSA Posts First 340B Provider Audit Summaries for FY13
No adverse findings in 10 out of 13 auditsMarch 21, 2014—The Health Resources and Services Administration today posted its first brief summary of results from 340B covered entity audits it conducted during fiscal year 2013. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] HRSA audited 51 340B covered entities in fiscal 2012 and 94 in fiscal 2013. It has not said how many it plans to audit this fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30. … [Read more...]
Bill Would Recognize Pharmacists as Providers Under Medicare
Aim is to expand care in medically underserved communitiesMarch 20, 2014─A bipartisan group in the U.S. House has introduced a bill to expand access to pharmacist-provided health services in communities with few physicians and other health professionals. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] Reps. Bret Guthrie (R−Ky.), G.K. Butterfield (D−N.C.), and Todd Young (R−Ind.) filed H.R. 4190 on March 11 and it was referred to both the Energy and … [Read more...]
CMS Wants to Ramp up Medicaid Rebate Oversight
Closer monitoring of manufacturer compliance could have 340B implicationsMarch 18, 2014—The Obama administration proposes to audit and survey drugmakers more often to ensure they are fulfilling their Medicaid drug rebate obligations and to increase penalties for those that knowingly report false information for the calculation of rebates. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] The administration outlined the legislative proposals in its recent fiscal … [Read more...]
Study: 340B Essential to Oregon Health Centers
A new study shows that the 340B program is vital to helping health providers in Oregon better treat the vulnerable and underserved. Specifically, the report found that 340B savings allow federally qualified health centers in the state to provide: financial assistance to patients unable to afford their prescriptions clinical pharmacy services, such as disease management … [Read more...]
340B Savings Critical for Ore. Health Centers, Study Concludes
Says mandated pass-through to MCOs could reduce access to medicines, servicesMarch 12, 2014—Requiring Oregon health centers to give the state all of their 340B savings on drugs for Medicaid beneficiaries, whose care is mainly managed and paid for by the state's new Medicaid coordinated care organizations, "may not actually be effective and could adversely impact patient care," a new study concludes. [ms-protect-content id="2799"] The study was … [Read more...]