Overview
- A new CBO analysis says 340B drug purchases climbed from about $6.6 billion in 2010 to nearly $70 billion in 2023 and that program incentives can drive higher-priced prescribing and greater service use.
- HELP Committee senators report they are close to draft legislation and aim for committee action before year‑end, though formal introduction and votes have not been set.
- The working outline would require manufacturers to honor discounts when covered entities use contract pharmacies, mandate annual registration of those pharmacy sites and tighten ownership and integration standards for off‑site child locations.
- Drafters say the final bill would add a statutory definition of a 340B patient and expand transparency, responding to disputes over whether savings reach patients or bolster hospital finances.
- HRSA has announced a voluntary pilot starting Jan. 1, 2026 that replaces upfront discounts with rebates for select high‑cost drugs, a shift hospitals warn could strain cash flow as litigation over contract‑pharmacy discounts continues.