Healthcare DIVE January 17, 2020
Dive Brief:
- A Medicare Payment Advisory Commission study found spending on cancer drugs at hospitals participating in the 340B drug discount program was only 2% to 5% higher than non-340B hospitals and 1% to 7% higher than physician offices. The overall effect of the controversial program on cost-sharing for patients is “likely to be small, if any,” the Congressional advisory group said.
- Researchers were careful to point out they couldn’t directly attribute the spike in costs to incentives created by 340B discounts, noting another potential explanation is that 340B hospitals are more likely to be large teaching hospitals and care for outsized numbers of young and disabled patients who require aggressive treatment and receive subsidies in Medicare’s prescription drug...