We have released several episodes in recent months in which we have discussed federal and state legislative efforts on 340B. But what does it take to get 340B protections through a state legislature and to the governor’s desk? In this episode, we speak with Ryan Cross, vice president of governmental affairs with Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, based in Baton Rouge, La. This system operates 10 hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi. Both states recently enacted contract pharmacy protection laws. Ryan says there were three factors involved with getting these state protections ..read more

While significant 340B actions have happened at the federal level, state legislatures also have made big moves in the world of 340B so far this year. We are joined by Amanda Sellers Smith, 340B Health’s legal counsel, to explain more. More states ban drug company restrictions on 340B contract pharmacies Following the lead of Arkansas and Louisiana, five additional states have enacted contract pharmacy protection laws so far this year. Some states enacted standalone contract pharmacy laws, while others paired these laws with PBM non-discrimination bills. Another bill is with the governor in M ..read more

The world of 340B has seen significant developments on the state and national levels in recent months. A second federal appeals court decision on 340B contract pharmacies came down in recent weeks, a new bill in Congress threatens to impose significant restrictions on hospital participation in 340B program, and more states move to protect covered entities from drugmaker restrictions. To understand these new developments, 340B Health President and CEO Maureen Testoni joins us to explain more.   A second federal appeals court rules for drug companies   In May, the D.C. Circuit Court of ..read more

The finalized 340B administrative dispute resolution (ADR) rule is set to go into effect on June 18 and will create a process to settle certain disputes between covered entities and drug manufacturers. But what should covered entities know about this process before it launches? Jason Reddish, a 340B expert with the Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville health care practice group, joins us to discuss. How the ADR is intended to work Jason notes that the ADR will use a panel of government officials to arbitrate certain types of disputes between covered entities and manufacturers. This process can ..read more

Hospitals throughout the U.S. use their 340B savings in innovative ways to care for their patients in need. In some cases, they can take that care outside the walls of the hospital to meet patients where they learn, live, and play. We speak with Heather Armstrong with Comanche County Medical Center in central Texas to tell us how her health system invests 340B savings into innovative approaches to community care. Improving student health on campus Since the end of 2022, Comanche County Medical Center has been operating a school campus-based program that pairs onsite diagnostic equipment with ..read more

340B savings can help hospitals and other covered entities better serve patients and improve their health outcomes. But how can these entities make the best use of 340B funds for their institutions? We sat down with Matt Webber, director of pharmacy business at Novant Health based in North Carolina, to learn more. 340B optimization strategies  One way that Novant Health optimized its 340B program was through a multidisciplinary team that includes data analysts and auditors. Matt says that while this team prioritizes compliance above all else, it also can focus on technology and data to i ..read more

340B hospitals can register certain outpatient locations with the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) as 340B child sites, which allows them to use 340B drugs. HRSA recently announced some changes to how it had been determining this eligibility during the COVID-19 public health emergency. How have these changes affected 340B hospitals, particularly those that had planned new child sites under the previous policy? For the answers to this question and more, we spoke to Chuck Stubbs, a 340B pharmacist with Intermountain Health based in Salt Lake City.  How new hospital chi ..read more

The Health Resources & Services Administration audits 200 covered entities each year for compliance with 340B rules. We speak with Mark Capuano, senior director of the corporate pharmacy 340B program at New York City Health and Hospitals, about what hospitals should expect when they find out they will be going through a 340B audit. How a hospital can prepare for a 340B audit Auditors typically will ask to schedule a pre-site visit call and will provide a data request list for the information the auditor is seeking. Mark says it is important to provide this information in a timely, accura ..read more

340B sits at an intersection where federal programs and state agencies come together. Maine, Minnesota, and Washington recently enacted new laws requiring hospitals to report 340B information to the states each year. What should health systems know about these new requirements? We speak with Danny Ackert, the director of state government relations at the Minnesota Hospital Association, to learn more about what these requirements look like in his state and what hospitals might expect in other states considering such reporting. What Minnesota’s reporting law requires Danny explains that Minnes ..read more

We are returning to a popular episode format we aired early last year, when we consulted with 340B Health’s expert staff to answer your most pertinent 340B questions. As we start another busy year for 340B, we help you prepare for the action by answering your questions about the Genesis court decision, 340B activity in state legislatures, Medicare Part B repayments, and more.  Patient Definition After the Genesis Decision  One listener wonders how the recent Genesis court decision might affect 340B patient definition issues. We discuss the implications, the status of HRSA’s 1996 pat ..read more