WSHA has asked members of Washington State’s congressional delegation to support bipartisan bill H. R. 4392 to stop the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ rule to reduce payments for outpatient drugs provided by certain 340B eligible hospitals by nearly 30 percent. The American Hospital Association worked to get this bill introduced. We will be asking those hospitals that are impacted to weigh in with their House members. The rule does not impact critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, children’s hospitals or cancer hospitals.
In a related action, the American Hospital Association, America’s Essential Hospitals and several affected hospitals filed a federal lawsuit to prevent CMS from implementing these cuts, arguing that the cuts exceed CMS‘ rate adjustment authority. Arguments on that case begin December 21. (Chelene Whiteaker)