Title
Welcome and Opening Remarks, The State of 340B, and Updates From HRSA
Room/Location
Maryland Ballroom
Description
The first half of 2022 has proven to be an enormously consequential one for the 340B world and its community of professionals. As it nears its 30th anniversary this fall, 340B has risen to new levels of prominence in the national health policy arena. So far this year, it has had a distinctive presence on the floors of Congress, in statehouses throughout the U.S., and in the highest courts in the land. Published research and compelling testimonials have expanded understanding of the myriad ways that 340B hospitals, health centers, clinics, and those who support them are fulfilling a crucial care mission to patients in need. Yet the 340B professional community continues to face challenges from a growing group of drug companies that have unilaterally restricted 340B pricing on drugs purchased by covered entities and dispensed in community and specialty pharmacies. The community remains united in these patient care efforts despite these challenges, and bipartisan backing for the program among lawmakers, administration officials, and policy experts is as strong as it ever has been. Examination of the successes and challenges surrounding 340B will help set the stage for important discussions about how we must sustain those successes in the years and decades to come.
During these opening sessions, we will review the major 340B developments that have occurred so far in 2022, reflect on the program’s history and its future potential, discuss the response to ongoing challenges for providers and patients, and recommit to our community’s shared patient care mission. We also will hear from senior government officials in key 340B oversight roles about ways we can continue to work together to fulfill the intent and promise of the 340B program.
Learning Objectives:
- Review major 340B developments that have occurred so far in 2022, including in the legislative, judicial, and academic arenas
- Examine the implications on 340B providers of recent actions in federal courts, in Congress, and in statehouses
- Reflect on the 30-year history of 340B as a prologue for the program’s future
- Discuss how the Health Resources & Services Administration, which administers 340B, works to provide high-quality, affordable care to patients in need
- Review how the HRSA Office of Pharmacy Affairs, overseeing day-to-day operation of the program, ensures compliance by covered entities and manufacturers
- Assess opportunities for 340B providers and health officials to work in partnership to improve access to care for patients with low incomes and those living in rural communities