Overcharged: State Employees, Cancer Drugs, and the 340B Drug Pricing Program
North Carolina hospitals used the safety-net 340B Drug Pricing Program to overcharge cancer patients, state employees, and taxpayers for oncology drugs.
White House to push cybersecurity standards on hospitals
The Biden administration intends to require hospitals to meet minimum cybersecurity standards after a single hack exposed the data of 100 million Americans, according to a senior US cybersecurity official.
As drug shortages reach record highs, regulators float next steps
Drug shortages hit a new high in the first quarter of 2024 and sent patients and doctors scrambling for ADHD medications, chemotherapy drugs, and more. And this ongoing struggle to get shortages under control has now triggered fresh calls for action.
COA Past President Testifies to Congress on Regulatory Pressures on Community Oncology Practices
Dr. David Eagle followed in the footsteps of COA President Dr. Miriam Atkins and Vice President Dr. Debra Patt in testifying to Congress. In testifying to the House Small Business Committee, Dr. Eagle touched on every issue independent community oncology practices face including PBMs, mega health systems, 340B, CMS Stark drug delivery restrictions, low Medicare reimbursement, EMR dysfunction, excessive paperwork and more. You can read Dr. Eagle’s submitted written testimony here. You can listen to a recording of the hearing here, as well.
Editorial: To save local pharmacies, state must rein in the middlemen
Pharmacies in Western Pennsylvania are closing at an alarming clip, pushed out of business by a complex, opaque and utterly broken medication reimbursement system.
Kimberly Westrich Talks the Hidden Costs of 340B to Employers
There are growing costs of the 340B program for employers and workers, despite misconceptions that the program does not cost anyone anything, says Kimberly Westrich, MA, of the National Pharmaceutical Council.
Do or Die: Community Oncology Needs More Fellows
Community oncology practices are the backbone of cancer care in the United States, providing treatment to about 80% of all patients with cancer. However, these practices face significant challenges attracting oncology fellows.
Nurses push for a STEM designation
As the country struggles with nursing shortages, some in the field are pushing for a federal solution: a new STEM designation.
Cyberattack disrupts operations at major US health care network
(CNN) - A cyberattack has disrupted “clinical operations” at major health care nonprofit Ascension, forcing it to take steps to minimize any impact to patient care, an Ascension spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday.
COA Advocates Assemble on Capitol Hill to Keep Middlemen Out of Health Care
Medicare and the U.S. health care system are overwhelmed by middlemen such as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and insurers. These entities prioritize profits over patient care by restricting access to treatments and delaying care for cancer and other serious diseases. This leads to increased health care spending, poor patient outcomes, and burnout among providers.
