In two recent Drug Channels articles, I have documented the phenomenal growth in pharmacies participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program and the superior profits that pharmacies earn from the program.
Today, I turn to the less well-known role of specialty pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers, which are now significant participants as 340B contract pharmacies. Below, we present our first exclusive analysis of how independent and PBM-owned specialty pharmacies have deepened their relationships with hospitals and other 340B covered entities.
We estimate that nearly 10% of all specialty prescriptions are dispensed by 340B contract pharmacies, which makes this channel one of the fastest-growing components within the 340B program. Despite this growth, pharmaceutical manufacturers have limited transparency into the behavior of these 340B contract pharmacies. Drug makers therefore pay 340B discounts on prescriptions for which they also pay commercial, Medicare Part D, and managed Medicaid rebates.
Below, we explain why manufacturers should have access to the prescription-level data that would permit the identification of 340B claims. Playing Where’s Waldo? for 340B claims is no way for this multi-billion dollar program to operate.
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