HRSA Guidance Makes Children’s Hospitals Eligible for Discount Drugs

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has published a notice in the Federal Register adding children's hospitals to the list of institutions eligible to participate in HRSA's 340B Drug Pricing Program.

The FR guidelines clarify the requirements that must be met by children's hospitals, the process for registration of children's hospitals to the 340B Program, and the obligation of manufacturers to provide 340B-priced drugs to children's hospitals that register.

As many as 100 children's hospitals may be eligible to enroll in the 340B Program, which allows certain federally funded grantees and other safety-net health care providers to buy prescription medication at significantly reduced prices.

Participating organizations save an average of 20 percent to 50 percent of the cost of covered outpatient drugs. Organizations may then use the savings to reduce the price of pharmaceuticals for patients, see more patients, or expand health care services they offer patients.

The notice implements Section 6004 of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-171). The DRA made it possible to add qualifying children's hospitals to the list of entities eligible to access 340B discounted drugs. HRSA will strive to be as flexible as possible with application deadlines and will work with eligible children's hospitals to expedite registration as much as resources and program requirements permit. Additional information, including 340B Program background and application forms (PDF - 265 KB), is available.

Children's hospitals that wish additional information about how to apply can call the HRSA Pharmacy Services Support Center at 1-800-628-6297.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.