AHA Stat Blog: Report misses mark on 340B program

Oct 10, 2017 - 02:29 PM

The latest report from a group financed and backed by the pharmaceutical industry “continues to misrepresent” the 340B Drug Pricing Program and its “successful 25-year history of helping hospitals stretch scarce financial resources to expand and improve access to lifesaving prescription drugs and comprehensive health services,” AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels writes today in an AHA Stat blog post. Nickels says the report “attempts to mislead the debate by comparing changes in the ‘charity care’ provided by a small sample size of 160 disproportionate share hospitals (out of 2,448 hospitals) that participate in the 340B program,” and he highlights the many benefits 340B hospitals provide to the patients and communities they serve. "We hope policymakers won’t be diverted by this self-serving report from the important job of finding solutions to bring down the exorbitant cost of many prescription drugs that is threatening the availability of life-saving medications for millions of Americans,” Nickels writes.

Related News Articles

Headline
CMS proposes increases to Medicare hospital outpatient department payment rates, site-neutral and 340B changes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 2 issued a proposed rule that would increase Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system…
Headline
CMS seeks to expand GLP-1 access for Medicare beneficiaries
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 1 launched the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, a short-term demonstration program designed to provide eligible…
Headline
Blog explains why analysis of MA’s impact on hospital finances should be interpreted cautiously
A blog by Noah Isserman, AHA director of health insurance and coverage policy, explains why a recent analysis by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission…
Blog
MedPAC’s Narrow Lens on Medicare Advantage Is Incomplete
Public
Medicare Advantage now covers more than half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries, making its impact on hospitals, health systems and patients impossible to…
Headline
FDA announces actions to accelerate drug development 
The Food and Drug Administration June 22 announced multiple actions to help accelerate early- and late-stage drug development. The actions are part of a larger…
Headline
Agencies issue proposed rule codifying Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a proposed rule June 12 seeking to codify the…