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Q:
What is the 340B Drug Pricing Program?
A:
The 340B Drug Pricing Program refers to a federal
statute that requires drug manufacturers to sell outpatient
drugs to eligible health care centers, clinics, and
hospitals (termed “covered entities”) at a reduced
price. This requirement is described in Section 340B
of the Public Health Service Act, which was enacted
in 1992 to provide financial relief to those facilities
that provide care to the medically underserved.
You
may hear the terms "PHS Pricing," "340B
Pricing," and "602 Pricing,” all of which
refer to the same program and the same discount. The
term "340B ceiling price" is the highest
price the statute allows a manufacturer to charge
a participating 340B entity. Nothing in the statute
prevents a manufacturer from selling covered drugs
to eligible entities at prices lower than the ceiling
price.
Q:
What is the HRSA Pharmacy Services Support Center
?
A:
The HRSA Pharmacy Services Support Center ( PSSC )
at APhA was established by a contract between the
federal government and the American Pharmacists Association
(APhA) to provide information, education, and technical
assistance to help eligible health care entities and
pharmacists optimize the value of the 340B program
in order to provide affordable, comprehensive pharmacy
services that improve medication use and advance patient
care and patient access to affordable drugs.
PSSC
works directly with the Office of Pharmacy Affairs
(OPA), which is contained within HRSA's Healthcare
Systems Bureau, to increase access to clinically and
cost effective pharmacy services for the uninsured
and underinsured. Pharmacist Jimmy Mitchell leads
the program activities.
Q:
Where can I get more information about the 340B Program?
A:
Concise, easy to follow information can be
found on the HRSA Pharmacy Services Support Center
(PSSC) website (http://pssc.aphanet.org)
or visit the HRSA Office of Pharmacy Affairs Web site
at www.hrsa.gov/opa
for more information. You can also contact the
PSSC at pssc@aphanet.org
to get answers to your specific questions regarding
the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Q:
What is the new address of the Office of Pharmacy
Affairs?
A:
Office of Pharmacy Affairs
Parklawn
Building
5600
Fishers Lane
Mail
Stop 10C-03
Rockville
, MD 20857
Q:
What are the program benefits of the 340B Drug Pricing
Program?
A:
Participating covered entities have reported savings
that range between 25-50% of Average Wholesale Price
(AWP) for covered outpatient drugs as a result of
the 340B discounts. By participating in the 340B Prime
Vendor Program entities can expect additional savings
due to the Prime Vendor's negotiation of sub-ceiling
prices. Covered entities participating in the 340B
Prime Vendor Program report improved healthcare delivery
in their communities by using the savings to:
- Reduce
the price of medications for patients
-
Expand the number of drugs on formularies
- Increase
the number of indigent patients served
- Expand
other services offered to patients by the entity
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