Hospice Audit Series: Beyond Part D, OIG Scrutinizes the Hospice Industry to the Tune of $6.6 Billion
Kim Brandt on the Latest Washington Healthcare News
Part Two: The MFN Drug Pricing Rule and the Rebate Rule: Where Do We Go From Here?
Part One: Two new Medicare Drug Pricing Rules in One Day: What are the MFN and the Rebate Drug Pricing Rules?
K&L Gates Triage: 340B Update: CMS Finalizes 340B Program Reimbursement Cut on Part B Drugs
K&L Gates Triage: 340B Regulatory Update: CMS Proposal and Draft Executive Order Could Have Big Impact on 340B Program
On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) posted Advisory Opinion 25-01, a favorable opinion analyzing a pharmaceutical manufacturer’s free product offering to...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued several important updates concerning the reporting of Average Sales Price (ASP) with potential implications for manufacturers. ...more
Although most of the recent focus around the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) by the press and industry stakeholders has been on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, the IRA has several other...more
On February 9, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released initial program guidance addressing the inflation rebate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). These provisions apply to how...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) continue to issue guidance regarding the implementation of the drug pricing provisions of...more
In a follow-up to its recent reports on billing outside the hospice benefit for drugs and durable medical equipment (DME), the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) new data report identifies billions being billed to Medicare...more
On January 19, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) released a favorable advisory opinion, OIG Advisory Opinion No. 22-01 (the “Opinion”), analyzing a proposed expansion of...more
On October 13, 2021, the in-person portion of the annual informaconnect Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP) Conference concluded in New Brunswick, New Jersey. A day earlier, on October 12, 2021, a joint hearing was held in...more
The White House released three Executive Orders on July 24, 2020 setting forth policies that the Administration believes will “deliver lower prescription drug prices to American patients.” A fourth Executive Order tying...more
On July 24, 2020, President Trump signed three Executive Orders aimed at lowering prescription drug costs and increasing patients’ access to life-saving medications. A fourth Executive Order was discussed, which could reduce...more
Value-Based Purchasing, Multiple Best Prices, Expanded Alternative URA, and other MDRP Drug Pricing Changes in Proposed Rule - On June 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released a major...more
This week in Washington: House returns from recess and has scheduled hearing on caring for aging Americans; Senate to hold hearing on rising electronic cigarette use among youth and will hold a confirmation hearing for Dr....more
Long time readers of our blog may recall that five years ago, I predicted that 2014 might be a game-changing year for the 340B Drug Discount Program. 2014 saw attempts at regulatory changes, but a successful court challenge...more
The OIG added seven new items to its Work Plan in the May 2018 update. Among the issues addressed are emergency preparedness, the impact of generics on Medicaid drug rebates, reviews of claims for Part B outpatient cardiac...more
On Feb. 9, 2018, the Trump Administration released a 30-page report analyzing domestic and global factors influencing drug pricing. The report by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) is expected to inform the HHS' Fiscal...more
I previously said that the year 2014 may be a game-changer for the 340B Drug Discount Program. Increasing HRSA audits, a lawsuit over the 340B Orphan Drug Rule, and HRSA’s promise to issue a 340B mega-regulation, all pointed...more
On July 18, 2017, just days after CMS went public with its proposal to reduce Medicare Part B reimbursement to certain 340B covered entities, Congress held its first hearing on 340B Program Oversight since March 2015. A...more
In March, I posted about the Uncertain Future of the 340B Drug Discount Program. When opining about What Could Happen Next I speculated about possible changes to government reimbursement for 340B drugs “so that government...more
Each year, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issues a Work Plan that summarizes new and ongoing OIG reviews and areas of focused attention for the coming year and beyond....more
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released its mid-year update of its Fiscal Year Work Plan for 2016. The Work Plan summarizes new and ongoing reviews and activities that the OIG plans to pursue. Not...more
I. REGULATIONS, NOTICES, & GUIDANCE - On April 21, 2016, CMS issued a proposed rule entitled, “Medicare Program: FY 2017 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements.” This...more
According to a recent report by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), Medicare contractors in 13 jurisdictions overpaid providers by $35.8 million for select outpatient drugs, including injectable drugs used for cancer...more
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for HHS recently published a report titled “Compounded Drugs Under Medicare Part B: Payment and Oversight” (OIG Report) in which it recommended that CMS implement changes to the way...more