Senate Health & Welfare reviews bill to tighten 340B reporting, limit manufacturer interference and shield vendor data

The Senate Health & Welfare Committee on May 6 reviewed draft H.266, a bill that would add new state-level requirements and prohibitions related to the federal 340B drug pricing program, including annual hospital reporting to the Green Mountain Care Board and limited public disclosure of vendor data.

Committee members said the bill would bar prescription drug manufacturers or their agents from interfering “directly or indirectly” with a covered entity’s acquisition of 340B drugs or with delivery to a 340B contract pharmacy, and would prohibit requiring claims or utilization data from a covered entity as a condition of allowing 340B purchases unless the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires that data. “I did reformat this as a strike-all amendment just so that it's easier to follow,” a committee member said while presenting the draft.

Under the draft, hospitals participating in the 340B program would submit annual reports to the Green Mountain Care Board by Jan. 31 for the previous hospital fiscal year in a form and manner prescribed by the board. The reports must include at least:…