Hospitals and Health Systems Sue CMS Over 340B Provisions

Three hospital groups, along with three health systems, have filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recent regulation that made substantial cuts to hospitals for 340B drugs. The American Hospital Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, America’s Essential Hospitals, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, Henry Ford Health System, and Fletcher Hospital Inc. brought the suit, challenging the changes made to the 340B program that were included in the calendar year 2018 hospital outpatient system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center payment systems final rule that CMS released earlier this month. The 340B provisions of the final rule, including a 27 percent reduction in the reimbursement rate for hospitals for 340B drugs, are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2018. The lawsuit contends that while CMS has the statutory authority to “calculate” and “adjust” drug payment rates, it does not have statutory authority to reduce those rates by nearly 30 percent. The complaint also states that the 340B provisions of the final rule “undermine the 340B Program by depriving eligible hospitals of critical resources Congress intended to provide those hospitals through 340B discounts.” The groups also note that the cuts will undermine critical programs that provide health services to vulnerable and underserved populations. On July 13, 2017, CMS issued...
Source: Policy and Medicine - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs