340B compliance is a critical requirement for hospitals participating in the program, and one of the ways 340B hospitals maintain compliance is through conducting internal audits. For this episode, we speak with Tristan Greer, 340B program business manager at Catholic Health in Buffalo, N.Y. Tristan has significant experience conducting 340B internal audits at the health system, and she shares several best practices for a successful internal audit. Before the interview, we provide a news update on how drug manufacturers are pursuing legislative changes to 340B and some of the responses to that ..read more

State policymakers have increased the attention they are paying to 340B. In this episode, we hear from 340B state advocacy expert Abby Reale. Abby is director of government and external affairs with Mountain Health Network in West Virginia. The state has been a leader in protecting 340B, and she shares how her health system worked with other hospitals and provider organizations to advocate for the first 340B non-discrimination law in the nation. Prior to the interview, we provide a news update about a drug company that is imposing the pharmaceutical industry’s most restrictive limits on 340B p ..read more

Health information technology (IT) is intertwined with 340B operations and compliance. So how can hospitals and health systems manage IT while keeping 340B in mind? To find out, we hear from Robert Owens, director of pharmacy enterprise shared services at Atrium Health. Bob is a pharmacy health IT expert, and he shares how the technology intersects with 340B. He also shares insights to ensure strong 340B operations and compliance when undergoing an electronic health records (EHR) system conversion. Before the interview, we provide an update on two more drug companies restricting 340B discounts ..read more

Several 340B developments have occurred in the first weeks of 2023, with many more expected to come this year. In this episode, we speak with 340B Health President and CEO Maureen Testoni about her outlook for 340B. Our discussion includes her analysis of the latest in the 340B contract pharmacy dispute, the 340B advocacy landscape at the federal and state levels, and Medicare issues affecting 340B. *Editor’s note: We spoke with Maureen prior to Bayer and EMD Serono announcing they will restrict 340B discounts. When these restrictions start in March, at least 21 companies will be limiting 340 ..read more

We often receive listener questions about 340B issues and developments that affect professionals in the 340B world. In this episode, we open the listener virtual mailbag and answer some of your questions with help from our 340B Health staff experts. Some of the questions we tackle include queries about mitigating 340B contract pharmacy restrictions, understanding 340B patient definition, analyzing current 340B hospital audit trends, and examining Medicare Advantage payment rates for 340B drugs.  Mitigating Contract Pharmacy Restrictions  In response to a listener's question, we disc ..read more

Establishing a Home Infusion Program Dave and Seth share the challenges that historically underserved patients face accessing infusion treatments and how this motivated Geisinger to start a home infusion program. They discuss how home infusion helps the health system provide comprehensive care, detail how the program assists patients with navigating their treatment, and share patient feedback about the program.   340B Considerations  Dave and Seth explain the 340B considerations for operating a home infusion program. These include understanding patient eligibility and the type of ph ..read more

340B professionals are not the only hospital staff who need to know about 340B. That is why it is important that 340B professionals educate their colleagues about the program and what it means for clinical care and patient care operations. For our final episode of the year, 340B professional Ryan Atherton joins us to share the strategies he has deployed to help his colleagues better understand 340B’s role in the patient care mission. Ryan formerly was the 340B program manager at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Washington State. He improved understanding of 340B among the hospital’s staff, w ..read more

Nov. 17 is National Rural Health Day, which is an opportunity to celebrate the importance of rural hospitals to patients living in remote communities. We are joined by Karen McCombs, 340B program manager for Wills Memorial Hospital in Georgia. Karen shares her tips for managing her critical access hospital’s 340B program in a compliant and efficient manner to support patient care initiatives. Before the interview, we provide updates on the 2023 Medicare payment rate for 340B drugs and on the status of 340B contract pharmacy litigation pending in federal appeals courts.  Where Everyone Kn ..read more

On Nov. 4, 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed the 340B drug pricing program into law.  To celebrate 30 years of 340B, we speak on today’s episode with former Congressman Henry Waxman, who was one of the principal architects of the 340B program. Congressman Waxman served in Congress for 40 years from 1975-2015. During part of that time, he chaired the influential U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee and U.S. House Government & Oversight Committee.  Chairman Waxman shares why Congress created 340B, explains the need for a strong health care safety net, discusses 340B’s ..read more

When Hennepin Medical Center saw that some of their patients were frequently visiting the emergency department for all their health care needs, they recognized how vital it was to find a better way to care for them. Our guest this week is Christene Jolowsky, senior director of pharmacy at Hennepin Healthcare. Christene shares how Hennepin has used 340B savings to operate a coordinated care clinic that meets the health and social needs of their patients. Prior to the interview, we provide news updates on the restoration of full Medicare payment rates for 340B drugs and details about another dru ..read more