340B Health Statement on New 340B Contract Pharmacy Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Contact: Tom Mirga
(571) 213-9478
tom.mirga@340bhealth.org
340B Health Statement on New 340B Contract Pharmacy Report
February 5, 2014— 340B Health issued the following statement today:
Since 2010, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has enabled hospitals and health centers to partner with community pharmacies to expand access to pharmaceutical care. HRSA’s contract pharmacy policy, which enjoys broad bipartisan support, enables patients to access medications and other important health care services closer to home. The contract pharmacy program has enabled providers to “stretch scare federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.” Thanks to these additional resources, hospitals and clinics are able to continue or expand important indigent care initiatives such as free drug programs, medication therapy management, and clinics targeting conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
We applaud the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General for conducting a study on contract pharmacies and support strong oversight over the program. The report underscores the challenges that stakeholders face when implementing the contract pharmacy program, which is in need of clearer guidance. We look forward to HRSA’s upcoming comprehensive 340B program regulation, which is expected to address many of these issues.