Majority of House members urge CMS to abandon proposal to cut 340B program

Two hundred twenty-eight members of the House of Representatives yesterday urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to abandon its proposal to reduce Medicare Part B payment for drugs acquired through the 340B Drug Pricing Program. “Given the important role that the 340B program plays in our communities, we strongly urge CMS to abandon this proposal and redirect its efforts toward actions to address the cost of drugs via other policies that would not harm our constituents,” the representatives wrote. CMS has proposed to pay for separately payable, non pass-through drugs purchased through the 340B program at the average sales price minus 22.5%, rather than the current rate of ASP plus 6%. Reps. David McKinley (R-WV), Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David Kustoff (R-TN) spearheaded the letter. “The AHA thanks Representatives McKinley, Thompson, and Kustoff for leading this bipartisan effort to protect patient care by urging CMS to rescind its misguided proposal to reduce Medicare Part B payments for 340B hospitals,” said AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels.