Page 13 - InsideOut Magazine

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FY 2016 Appropriations and Sequestration
The healthcare community is cautiously optimistic that the spirit of bipartisanship present during the passage of the FY 2015 appropriations measure will carry over to FY 2016. Legislators, however, faced bellwether tests early in the ses- sion. Congress completed the politically charged task of raising the debt ceiling in February. Across the board funding cuts — known as sequestration — did not return. Patient groups continue to be hopeful that legislators recognize the value of medical research and patient care programs, and prioritize these programs with funding increases.
Oversight of the 340B Drug Discount Program
In 2014, both the House and Senate demonstrated an interest in the growth and operation of the 340B Drug Discount Program, which provides therapies to certain sites of care and at a reduced cost to treat financially at-risk patients. Legislators have expressed a belief that the program is open to abuse and discounted drugs may be diverted to patients who are not in financial need. The Health Resources and Services
Administration, which administers
the 340B Program, was expected to clarify and tighten-up certain issues through a mega-regulation. This action, however, has been delayed indefi- nitely. Stakeholders are now turning to Congress for guidance on the definition
of “a site of care” and “a patient,” and related program issues.
Patients’ Access to Treatments Act
During the previous Congress, the Immune Deficiency Foundation, the GBS/CIDP [Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)/chronic inflammatory demy- elinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)] Foundation International and other stakeholders rallied behind The Patients’ Access to Treatments Act, to eliminate high out-of-pocket costs for medications categorized beneath the specialty drug tier. This was a hot- button issue for the voluntary health community, as more patients find themselves personally impacted. Due to a coordinated outreach, the legisla- tion secured roughly 170 bipartisan cosponsors in the House. The legisla- tion’s sponsor, U.S. Rep. David McKinley (R-WV), will reintroduce the bill in the 114th Congress and work toward final passage and enactment. The collective goal of Rep. McKinley and advocates appears to be bringing all stakehold- ers together to negotiate an acceptable solution. Absent federal action, many states have moved to restrict specialty tiers. Similar legislation will be on the docket in additional states this year.
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