[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6089133,"mediaKeyId","2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762","parentId",2876244,"title","Committee hears lawmakers and providers push for state protections and transparency for 340B drug discounts","audioSeconds",1853,"startMs",137000,"endMs",1990000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762&start=137&end=1990","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762/thumbnail_137000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6089133/Vermont/Committee-hears-lawmakers-and-providers-push-for-state-protections-and-transparency-for-340B-drug-discounts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089133-34da475678c5a22594cf518b0a34d6fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1773601187&Signature=BHQx2E~y4hv3riar8EamA403cKEmw0lJWhkTQVCnVR4vu~pV~GZ5k9EC6M9nAyUsQ0ZPSXNC~bwN04QnRxlI39bVCFliIv6Nv8RXaJkqtxb~xijdi29gJBhMLwDbxKbnMedWBM95RglPuYJIKOc9oxq0q6uXGJyffR2esP~kYfoSvsrnz3AcVUyERXh4q2OMcdVdxbxzGCCWWH~nozV8VrkX9vWjqfsuCh1rEm~uZ7pRfzBMRgp5-wnZZvDEMIcbpLiu9bUGayVuEIjcaASCNQr2eMCtHrNMV9N7L1-YdDnhNGk75FFODHm~iwn-rg9gfSOjtRVeip9uhxjP35F~9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-04T16:03:35.467Z","article","Colleen Meiman, a policy consultant with the Bi‑State Primary Care Association, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee on April 4 that the federal 340B program is “the backbone of the primary care safety net” in Vermont and elsewhere. She said 340B providers — including federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and critical access hospitals — rely on discounted drug acquisition to stretch scarce resources and support services beyond pharmaceuticals.

The first witness framed the mechanics for lawmakers. “340B discounts are funded entirely by drug makers, not by taxpayers,” Meiman said, and the program allows health centers to buy drugs at a lower acquisition cost and, in many cases, be reimbursed at higher insurer rates so the difference funds services such as dental care, substance‑use treatment and mobile units. Meiman noted mandatory discounts are 13 percent for generic drugs and 23 percent for brand drugs, and an additional penalty discount can apply when manufacturers raise prices faster than inflation.

The committee heard that actions by manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have cut into 340B savings. Meiman said manufacturers are increasingly refusing to ship 340B‑priced drugs to contract pharmacies and that HRSA and HHS efforts to reverse the practice have been delayed in litigation. “We now have 37 manufacturers that ban contract pharmacies for hospitals and 24 for FQHCs,” she said, and the impact has forced some centers to close sites or lay off staff.

Calvin Pugh, 340B state policy director for the Community Access National Network, urged caution about expanding contract pharmacy arrangements without guardrails. He emphasized the program’s importance for HIV and hepatitis care and warned that hospital systems can acquire physician practices and bill insurers at full price while buying drugs at 340B prices. “I urge you to put patients first before third party profiteering, before greedy C‑suites,” Pugh said.

Charles Becker of the Health Care Advocates (HCA) said the HCA “cautiously supports the contract pharmacy language” in H.266 but urged stronger transparency requirements for hospitals. Becker urged the committee to require hospitals to report aggregated acquisition costs and payments by payer type so the state can quantify the amount of 340B revenue and who ultimately bears those costs (patients, employers, insurers or public payers). He pointed to Minnesota’s transparency work as a helpful model.

Witnesses and some legislators discussed litigation in other states that has followed similar statutes. Meiman and Becker noted that multiple states have passed contract‑pharmacy protections; some were litigated, and courts have reached different results in certain circuits. Committee members asked staff for follow‑up materials about the litigation record.

Why this matters: committee members said 340B revenue historically funds nonpharmaceutical services that expand access for medically underserved patients and that a change in how manufacturers or PBMs treat contract pharmacies can materially affect rural hospitals and health centers. Lawmakers flagged the need to balance provider stability with concerns about whether hospitals are using 340B revenue for community benefit.

Committee next steps: witnesses asked legislators to preserve the current requirement that discounts be given at point of sale rather than via retroactive rebates, to adopt contract‑pharmacy protections similar to those in other states, and to design reporting so hospitals show how 340B savings are used. No formal votes or motions were taken during the hearing; the committee signaled it will consider edits to H.266 during bill markup.

Speakers listed in this report spoke during the H.266 discussion: Colleen Meiman (policy consultant, Bi‑State Primary Care Association), Mary Kate Mollman (Bi‑State Primary Care Association), Calvin Pugh (340B state policy director, Community Access National Network), Charles Becker (Health Care Advocates), Senator Jenny Lyons (chair, Senate Health & Welfare Committee), and several committee members who questioned witnesses.

Ending: The committee collected witness slides and asked legal and policy staff to supply follow‑up materials, including court decisions and state reporting examples, ahead of bill markup.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Health and Welfare - 2025-04-04 - 9:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Colleen Meiman, a policy consultant with the Bi‑State Primary Care Association, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee on April 4 that the federal 340B program is “the backbone of the primary care safety net” and that state action is needed to protect health centers and small hospitals after manufacturers and PBMs restricted contract pharmacy arrangements.","taxTitle","Health & Welfare, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",38585,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6089130,"Environment officials and industries debate PFAS phase‑out timeline and exemptions in H.238",3597,3563000,7160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762&start=3563&end=7160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762/thumbnail_3563000.jpg","/articles/6089130/Vermont/Environment-officials-and-industries-debate-PFAS-phaseout-timeline-and-exemptions-in-H238","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089130-e1ef3cdaee056332f7e7625637de16d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773601187&Signature=ACNclxmIlXhWgOHFfh8WaHVHTlMjmSmIbALv5-Z9f0gn9Is3sJwzHJd6HtzHh4bawM85Rqz~XUyDXkODS6bgIaZy-wTX9L-tE9MyR7CipDdVyLEBG3-XX~rOyLkC-6lUSR0RKz6cPDq2kth47gumEMCsjnAlRVFoBoqxfunlTmqFdcwkbhq1BFrlJOwJS492kPlyQ47j2q4yFMzK4J3L7wQFZKZlPV-x4YrXYvi94L-Na4iyUoyQVv-VwHB0QILjWObtTNGrrJN6y8oARQ4d82p7AXcVx75hJ2~uoaGwZPkKMRXM2r1zC~Kgnev1JzewA9NDuXBVYhWIHEHxESbUJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Matt Chapman, director of Waste Management Prevention at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee that phasing out intentionally added PFAS from consumer products is necessary because the chemicals are costly and difficult to treat once they enter the environment.

“For the record, Matt Chapman, I’m the director of waste management prevention at the Department of Environmental Conservation,” Chapman said when he began testimony on H.238, explaining the department’s work under Act 131 and the agency’s preference for a broader regulatory framework even as the House adopted a product‑by‑product approach. Chapman emphasized that phasing PFAS from products is less costly than cleaning contaminated drinking water or wastewater systems after the fact.

Chapman and other witnesses discussed three product groups in the bill: dental floss, certain cleaning products in fluorinated containers, and specific textile and cookware exemptions. The agency opposed a statutory “unavoidable use” process for fluorinated containers in the bill because the department said it lacks the budget and staff to run complex exemption reviews.

Industry, manufacturers and trade groups urged caution and predictability. Phil Driscoll, representing manufacturers, said business and technical definitions need clarification and asked for authority to narrow or expand covered PFAS as science and alternatives develop. Steve Burns of the Cookware Sustainability Alliance urged maintaining a July 1, 2028 compliance date for cookware; he emphasized that the cookware sector uses fluoropolymers for nonstick surfaces and described international regulatory and technical distinctions for that class of chemicals.

Outdoor retailers and manufacturers represented by Kelly Alt of the Vermont Outdoor Industry Alliance asked lawmakers to align Vermont’s timelines and definitions with other states (California, New York, Maine, Colorado) and to add a recycled‑content exemption for products that are 50 percent or more recycled material. Alt said that timeline alignment and a recycled‑content exemption would limit stranded inventory and support nascent textile recycling systems.

Environmental and public health advocates urged the committee not to exempt fluoropolymers from the PFAS definition. Anna Suberling of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) warned that manufacturing of fluoropolymers can release harmful co‑pollutants and that PTFE and related chemicals can shed microscopic particles. “We strongly oppose any changes to the PFAS definition, particularly those that would exempt fluoropolymers,” she said.

Fire service representatives told the committee that firefighters face occupational‑health risks linked to PFAS in turnout gear and that national testing standards can incentivize hazardous substitutes. Firefighter advocates urged the committee to consider brominated flame retardants and to test ensembles as a whole so that manufacturers cannot meet vertical flame tests while using harmful substitutes.

Why this matters: lawmakers must balance environmental and health risks, the timeframe for business to adapt, and the technical and enforcement capacity of state agencies. Several witnesses asked the Legislature either to preserve the house’s narrower product‑by‑product approach or to adopt a broader regulatory program with explicit agency authority and funding for exemption reviews.

Committee next steps: the committee requested written testimony and technical reports from witnesses and asked staff to compare Vermont language to other states’ laws (Minnesota, Maine, California, Rhode Island). No formal action was taken in the hearing; members signaled the bill will be subject to technical drafting and possible timing adjustments before markup.","The Senate Health & Welfare Committee on April 4 heard competing views on H.238, a bill to phase out intentionally added PFAS from certain consumer products; witnesses debated timelines, exemptions and whether the state should use a product‑by‑product approach or a broader regulatory program.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6089125,"Report to committee urges training, infrastructure and grants to reduce violence against social‑service providers",0,7357000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762&start=7357&end=7357","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2876244-d28c2e1d2caa60931f8250a5c754e762/thumbnail_7357000.jpg","/articles/6089125/Vermont/Report-to-committee-urges-training-infrastructure-and-grants-to-reduce-violence-against-socialservice-providers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089125-485892eeed7c624cc78ebb0c23db926c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773601187&Signature=P4C1aECHDQyw-7rfdg0ZFS~q~f7aayUzeOoBMVknBBVrwaMcL6F5dK4zr1y~WHTjqlQmexQl4fzPU3kuwuK-9lcpvUurKDY6DPx8dPD3vGyOlA0zBKXH-OpuN7-vPR6IHDTGqcRFebklm-nxuQqNfNmVnF7acJg3xIJj41PHqDr~jgljX4y3I74ymO0spoM1YiuFUpNrMnIwyNVBb~KDPotWqHZVHQxm-wU6JQeiLyhCBbthh-VT4n34C8k-~5X1oD4uxndu6x0d8JyupGar1oPm0MGQQmU1vf2uDkYanPqzpCFUkSaDqlHsRAmQ0u-GFxmDTvKYhLHBa4hOmsCk5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lynn Greer Stanley, executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW‑VT), presented a task‑force report on workplace safety for social‑service providers under Act 115.

Stanley told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee that poverty, homelessness and limited access to behavioral‑health services raise the risk of violent incidents affecting social‑service staff. She cited state data on poverty, food insecurity and homelessness to frame the need for concurrent investments in services and worker safety. “When people don’t have their basic needs met — shelter, nutritious food, physical and mental health care — they’re at increased risk for a variety of individual and societal challenges,” she said.

The report, compiled by a multi‑agency and stakeholder group convened after a high‑profile client‑related killing, finds that transitions in care are high‑risk moments. The Department for Children and Families noted that over half of violent incidents occurred within the first week after a child removal, the presenters said. The task force recommended increased planning during transitions, scheduled check‑ins, panic‑button or self‑service capacity where appropriate, and strengthened supervision.

The group emphasized that safety training should be tailored by setting and client population rather than one‑size‑fits‑all. Stanley told the committee that training should include de‑escalation, supervision support and contextual knowledge for new workers. “Supervisors and leadership need training to support their direct care workers,” she said, adding that volunteers and support staff should be included in training plans.

Barriers to improved safety include training costs, the need for customization, and limited infrastructure in small agencies. The task force urged grants to help small organizations conduct needs assessments, buy equipment and pay for staff training, and suggested partnerships with larger institutions (such as hospitals or the Department for Children and Families) to share training resources.

Why this matters: witnesses argued that staff safety, workforce retention and quality of client care are interlinked. Committee members noted the evidence that workplace violence harms staff morale and limits service capacity in areas with already thin provider networks.

Committee next steps: the presenters asked the Legislature to consider funding pilot grants and to support interagency coordination on transition plans and shared training resources. No formal motion or vote was taken during the hearing.

Ending: The task force will submit written materials and cost estimates to the committee for consideration in any budget or statutory proposals.","A cross‑sector task force presented findings to the Senate Health & Welfare Committee on Act 115 implementation and a provider‑safety review. The report links workforce shortages and service gaps to increased risk of violence against social‑service workers and recommends targeted training, supervisory support, and small grants","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears lawmakers and providers push for state protections and transparency for 340B drug discounts

Environment officials and industries debate PFAS phase‑out timeline and exemptions in H.238

Report to committee urges training, infrastructure and grants to reduce violence against social‑service providers