Senate HELP Hearing “Perspectives on the 340B Drug Discount Program” Scheduled March 15

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), which has Senate jurisdiction over the 340B program, will hold a hearing titled “Perspectives on the 340B Drug Discount Program” on Thursday, March 15 at 10 a.m. The hearing will be the first time the Senate HELP committee has ever had a hearing dedicated solely to the 340B program. While witnesses have yet to be finalized, we understand that representatives of covered entities may be asked to testify. Government and pharmaceutical witnesses may also be called to testify. A live video of the Senate HELP hearing can be viewed here. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who serves on the Senate HELP committee and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) both recently introduced legislation that would impose new requirements on 340B covered entities – Cassidy: S.2312 and Grassley: S.2453. Several national hospital organizations oppose both bills. The House Energy & Commerce Committee is expected to hold a hearing on the 340B program after it completes its hearing on the opioid crisis, perhaps as soon as early April. The House committee released a report on the program in January. Senate HELP staff have said that their hearing is not to advance legislation but is intended to gain a more complete perspective on the 340B program.