In April 2019, after a long-fought effort, including hospital litigation against the government, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began posting 340B ceiling prices on its website and finalized regulations that would impose … [Read more...]
17 Different Drug Manufacturer Policies Imposed on the 340B Program and Counting
In the past 18 months, the 340B drug contract pharmacy program has seemingly fractured into 17 programs, one governed by the federal government and 16 others with their own standards determined by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Frustrated by program … [Read more...]
Time for a Full Court Press on Legislation to Solve 340B Contract Pharmacy Impasse
With the recent decision in AstraZeneca's lawsuit against the federal government on the legality of the 340B contract pharmacy program, we have reached an inflection point. Federal judges have now ruled on the first six lawsuits filed by drug … [Read more...]
2023 May Look Very Different in Washington, D.C., for 340B Stakeholders
It's hard to believe that election season is around the corner. But in less than a year, Congress could look very different than it does now. All signs foretell a Republican takeover of the House and a very good possibility of the GOP assuming … [Read more...]
Three 340B Predictions for the New Year
It is always risky to make predictions, particularly about federal policy, the courthouse, and politics. Nonetheless, in the spirit of the New Year, here are three predictions in the 340B drug pricing area for 2022: … [Read more...]
Implications of Recent Court Decisions on 340B Contract Pharmacy Program
In this month's column, I am going to touch upon the flurry of recent court decisions in the 340B contract pharmacy standoff and then dive into a key argument made by each of the pharmaceutical manufacturers in their suits against the government. … [Read more...]
Recent 340B Legislative Activity a Harbinger?
After a quiet period, the pharmaceutical industry and its congressional allies are renewing efforts to make long-sought changes to the 340B program. While the moves are unlikely to gain much traction in a Democratically controlled Congress and White … [Read more...]
Time for Congress to Break the 340B Contract Pharmacy Logjam
As of publication time, eight pharmaceutical manufacturers either have stopped offering or placed significant restrictions on 340B discounts when a provider contracts with a retail or community pharmacy to dispense medicines. After the Health … [Read more...]
Legislation that 340B Providers and the Drug Industry Can Both Embrace
Imagine if there was a way to resolve two of the most intractable challenges in the 340B program in one fell swoop: one that has a significant impact on the financial health of 340B providers, and another that affects the pharmaceutical industry’s … [Read more...]
Four Burning Questions in Contract Pharmacy Standoff
As we get closer to the one-year mark since a group of drug manufacturers stopped offering 340B discounts or placed restrictions on these discounts in the contract pharmacy setting, several unanswered questions remain. Here are four burning ones: … [Read more...]