01 Feb Fierce Healthcare: Safety net hospitals say pharma’s 340B drug restrictions already endangering future services
“A late 2021 survey of hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program suggests pharma industry leaders’ recent restrictions on drug discounts are costing safety net hospitals hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in savings.
340B Health, an industry group representing these hospitals, said critical access hospitals (CAHs) report losing an average of 39% of the contract pharmacy savings they would have seen from the program, or $220,000 dollars per CAH. Ten percent of those smaller rural hospitals told the group they had lost at least $700,000 due to the drugmakers’ new policies.
Other, larger 340B hospitals such as disproportionate share hospitals, sole community hospitals and rural referral centers reported missing out on 23% of their community pharmacy savings, according to 340B Health’s survey. These facilities’ median reported loss landed at $1 million, with the top 10% tallying losses of $9 million or more.”
