In this episode, 340B Report Publisher and CEO Ted Slafsky, Associate Editor and Senior Writers Shannon Young and Will Newton and National Correspondent Bella Czajkowski break down the latest in 340B news, including developments in two major 340B lawsuits, new state contract pharmacy access laws with unique twists and developments on health funding negotiations and drug pricing policy talks in Washington, D.C.

Key Topics Covered:

Courts Hear Arguments in 340B Rebate, Antitrust Lawsuits
Will recaps the latest developments in a key 340B rebate lawsuit, including recent oral arguments in which the drug industry argued it doesn’t need federal approval to institute rebate models. HHS has told the drug manufacturers that they are not allowed to unilaterally implement a rebate model and a hospital group has intervened to oppose the use of rebates. The judge grilled attorneys representing both the drug industry and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS later committed to issuing guidance on a rebate model—and what conditions, if any, they could be permitted—within the next few weeks.

Bella recaps the recent oral arguments in a 340B antitrust case against four major insulin manufacturers. Ted and Bella discuss the significant implications of this case for 340B covered entities, should the appeals court side with the two health centers that have accused drugmakers of colluding on contract pharmacy restrictions.

More States Advance Contract Pharmacy Bills

Will provides an overview of recent contract pharmacy access bill developments in Oklahoma, Colorado and Hawaii. He notes some of the unique provisions contained in those bills, such as new reporting requirements for providers.

Drug Pricing Talks Loom Large

Shannon breaks down the latest developments on Capitol Hill as congressional Republicans work to wrap up wide-ranging spending legislation, which calls for $880 billion in health spending cuts that are largely expected to target Medicaid. The White House has proposed tying Medicaid drug prices to the prices paid in other affluent countries—a policy which has drawn pushback from both the drug industry and provider advocates. Ted recalls a similar initiative President Donald Trump pursued in his first term to tie dozens of Medicare Part B drugs prices to their international equivalents. Shannon also discusses new federal drug pricing legislation and Trump’s HHS budget blueprint.

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In this episode, 340B Report Publisher & CEO Ted Slafsky joins Associate Editors and Senior Writers Shannon Young and Will Newton and National Correspondent Bella Czajkowski to break down the latest developments in the 340B space. The team discusses Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) high-profile report on the 340B program, an executive order sparking concerns among providers, reactions to potential pharmaceutical tariffs and important state 340B bills in Indiana and Tennessee.

Key Topics Covered:

Senate Report Calls for Congressional 340B Reform

Sen. Cassidy unveiled the long-awaited findings of his two-year investigation into the 340B program with a 200-page report that criticized multiple 340B providers and called for significant congressional 340B reform that echoes many drug industry policy asks. Shannon and Ted discuss the implications of the report and stakeholder reactions to it, as well as the latest on a separate bipartisan Senate 340B legislative effort that’s expected to be more provider friendly.

Executive Order and Tariffs Spark Concerns

Will Newton breaks down President Donald Trump’s (R) recent executive order that attempts to revive a controversial rule requiring health centers to pass all 340B savings on insulin and EpiPens directly to certain low-income patients. The order also calls for a survey on hospital acquisition costs—the likely precursor to an attempt to reduce Medicare Part B payments to 340B hospitals. Providers have raised alarm bells over both proposals. Bella discusses the administration’s proposed tariffs on pharmaceuticals and why both drugmakers and provider advocates are warning that they could be problematic for the pharmaceutical supply and patients.

State 340B Bills in Indiana and Tennessee

Will breaks down a 340B hospital reporting bill in Indiana and a contract pharmacy bill in Tennessee that are both likely to soon become law. Tennessee’s unique bill grandfathers in existing drugmaker 340B restrictions but requires the “winners-only” contract pharmacy model that’s popular among providers.

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Each episode is brought to you by one of our great Ultra Diamond sponsors. This week’s episode is sponsored by Pillr Health, a company known for its 340B solutions that emphasize transparency, integrity, and ease of use for covered entities. Visit PillrHealth.com to learn more.

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In this episode, 340B Report Associate Editors and Senior Writers Shannon Young and Will Newton and National Correspondent Bella Czajkowski break down the latest in 340B news, including the latest states to enact contract pharmacy access laws, updates in key lawsuits and new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) restructuring efforts.

Key Topics Covered:

New State Contract Pharmacy Access Laws
Will highlights new contract pharmacy access laws enacted in Nebraska and Utah, including when they take effect and how their respective state governors approached the legislation. He also briefly discusses New Mexico’s newly enacted contract pharmacy access law, which does not take effect until 2026 and is the only enacted state contract pharmacy protection statute that only applies to health centers.

Key Updates in Drug Industry Lawsuits and State Enforcement Action
Will also breaks down a Minnesota federal district judge’s order to dismiss two drug industry lawsuits challenging that state’s contract pharmacy access law. The judge ruled that the drugmakers had no legal standing to sue the state over its contract pharmacy law since Minnesota’s law—unlike most other existing state contract pharmacy protection statutes—has no enforcement mechanism. Meanwhile, in Arkansas, a state official recently ordered AstraZeneca to restore access to 340B drugs at all contract pharmacy locations. AstraZeneca had been the only major manufacturer not to comply with Arkansas’ first-in-the-nation contract pharmacy access law after a federal appeals court panel unanimously upheld the statute in March 2024.

A New CMS Leader and HHS Restructuring

Shannon and Bella provide an update on 340B-related activity at the federal level. Bella discusses the U.S. Senate’s recent confirmation of Mehmet Oz as the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Shannon highlights the recent restructuring at HHS and rumored efforts to move the 340B program into CMS.

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Each episode is brought to you by one of our great Ultra Diamond sponsors. Verity Solutions sponsored this week’s episode. Verity’s innovative, award-winning 340B program management solutions are designed to optimize your 340B pharmacy spend and maximize your pharmacy supply chain savings. We are very grateful to Verity for its sponsorship.

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Episode 13: State Bills Surge, Federal Updates and Major 340B Rebate Developments

In this episode, the Inside 340B Report team dives into a flurry of activity at the state and federal levels. Publisher and CEO Ted Slafsky and Associate Editor/Senior Writers Shannon Young and Will Newton break down the unprecedented wave of state-level 340B contract pharmacy access and provider reporting bills, explore key federal movements, including the latest on the bipartisan U.S. Senate working group behind the SUSTAIN 340B Act, and provide an update on 340B rebate litigation.

Key Topics Covered:

State Legislative Activity Heats Up
The team discusses the recent surge in legislative action on state 340B bills as more than 25 states have introduced contract pharmacy access bills in 2025. South Dakota and Utah recently enacted contract pharmacy laws in 2025, joining eight other states that passed similar bills in previous years, while bills in New Mexico and North Dakota are awaiting action from their state governors. Will also highlights several state bills that would place a range of reporting requirements—and in some cases significant restrictions—on 340B providers.

Federal Legislative Developments and Bipartisan Efforts
Shannon provides updates on the latest developments on the 340B front in Washington, D.C., including the new members of the bipartisan group of six senators working on 340B overhaul legislation known as the SUSTAIN 340B Act. She and Ted also highlight other federal bills that could resurface this session, including the provider-supported 340B PATIENTS Act and drug industry-backed 340B ACCESS Act. The team also provides an update on Mehmet Oz’s nomination to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), focusing on a new Washington Post story that highlighted 340B Report’s previous reporting on his undisclosed ties to ZorroRx, a health benefits company that partners with 340B hospitals. Despite facing new ethics concerns, Oz has not drawn much scrutiny from lawmakers during the confirmation process over his 340B ties or stance on the program—a shift from previous nominees.

Rebate Litigation Developments
Will explains recent developments in ongoing lawsuits that pharmaceutical giants, like Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly, have filed against the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in their attempts to unilaterally impose 340B rebate models. Notably, in a series of recent court filings, President Donald Trump’s (R) administration has chosen to continue to defend HRSA’s long-standing position that drugmakers cannot implement 340B rebate models without explicit agency approval, offering some relief to the 340B provider community.

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Each episode is brought to you by one of our great Ultra Diamond sponsors. This episode is sponsored by CompassRx, the premier AI services platform built exclusively for 340B. Harnessing pharmacy and AI expertise, CompassRx helps maximize your 340B savings and operational efficiency.

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In this episode of Inside 340B Report, Ted Slafsky, Will Newton and Bella Czajkowski explore the latest developments in the 340B world at both the state and federal levels. They cover the progress of contract pharmacy access bills across the country—including a breaking news development—plus dark money efforts to oppose the legislation. They also break down key updates in drugmaker rebate lawsuits and provide an update on federal budget talks including major cuts expected for the Medicaid program and where we may be headed on the 340B program.

Key Topics Covered:

Contract Pharmacy Bills Progress, Despite Resistance Will summarizes recent key votes on state contract pharmacy access bills and provider reporting legislation. He also breaks the news that South Dakota became the first state in 2025 to enact contract pharmacy protections after hearing from the governor’s office mid-recording. Meanwhile, Bella highlights the tactics of dark money efforts to oppose contract pharmacy legislation through misleading ads, noting that many of the efforts appear to be backfiring.

Drugmaker Rebate Litigation Heats Up The team discusses five drugmakers’ ongoing legal efforts to implement 340B rebate models without approval from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Bella and Will explain the significance of the recent decision allowing the hospital advocacy group 340B Health and two of its member hospitals to intervene in four of those cases, all while other major provider advocacy groups have filed amicus briefs opposing the rebate models.

Budget Talks and the Looming Federal Shutdown With crucial budget negotiations unfolding in Congress, Ted breaks down the potential impact of proposed healthcare funding cuts totaling $880 billion over the next decade. These cuts could have significant effects on Medicaid, directly affecting 340B providers and the patients they serve. Ted notes that 340B stakeholders should keep a close eye on Capitol Hill as budget battles continue, especially given the possibility of a government shutdown. He also talks about the leaders of key committees with jurisdiction over the 340B program and what that could mean for 340B stakeholders.

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Each episode is brought to you by one of our great Ultra Diamond sponsors. PharmaForce is the only third-party administrator composed entirely of experienced 340B professionals developing uniquely flexible technology solutions for covered entities and pharmacies of every size. We're grateful to PharmaForce for making this episode possible.

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In this episode of Inside 340B Report, Ted Slafsky, Shannon Young, Will Newton and Bella Czajkowski discuss what may be a record-breaking year for state contract pharmacy access legislation with more than 20 states having already introduced such bills in 2025. On the federal front, the U.S. House's budget blueprint targeting $880 billion in health spending cuts over the next decade has raised alarm bells among providers over potential significant Medicaid reductions. Finally, Ted and Shannon share takeaways from last week’s 340B Coalition Winter Conference in San Diego, where these topics and others were center stage.

Key Topics Covered:

State Legislative Surge and Legal Developments
As of Feb. 28, at least 21 states had introduced new contract pharmacy access bills. Ted and Bella discuss the significance of major states like California, Texas and New York joining the fray with their own 340B access bill proposals. Will also discusses several of the states that have advanced their contract pharmacy bills, before joining Ted and Bella to provide updates on critical legal battles unfolding in states that have already passed contract pharmacy access laws, including Missouri, Kansas and West Virginia.

Budget Blueprint and Medicaid Concerns
In Washington, D.C., the House recently passed a budget framework that calls for $880 billion in health spending cuts over the next decade. Shannon discusses the potential implications for Medicaid funding and how these budgetary moves might indirectly impact the 340B program.

340B Coalition Conference Insights
Shannon and Ted break down the key issues that dominated the 340B Coalition’s recent Winter Conference, including the status of three key federal 340B bills, new scrutiny U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) could bring to the 340B program as the new HELP Committee chairman and how a Washington D.C. dark-money group’s campaign targeting 340B access bills could play out at statehouses.

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Stay tuned for more episodes every other week! 🎧 Subscribe to Inside 340B Report on your favorite podcast platform and follow us on YouTube for video discussions.

Pillr Health sponsored this week’s episode. Pillr Health is a leading provider of innovative solutions designed to optimize and streamline pharmacy operations. It focuses on enhancing efficiency, reducing costs and improving patient outcomes, particularly within the 340B program and beyond. We are very grateful to Pillr Health for its sponsorship.

Subscribe to 340B Report with a Special Discount

Special discount for YouTube and podcast listeners. 340B Report is the indispensable source for news and intelligence on the 340B program. First-time subscribers may subscribe now using coupon code PODCAST25. Not ready to subscribe? Sign up for a 15-day free trial.

In this episode of Inside 340B Report, Ted, Shannon, Will and Bella break down the latest developments shaping the 340B landscape. The team discusses the latest state contract pharmacy bill developments and a dark-money group’s lobbying against them. They also touch on new GOP congressional budget proposals, new leadership at HHS and HRSA and key U.S. Senators’ remarks on 340B’s future.

Key Topics Covered:

State Contract Pharmacy Access and Provider Reporting Bills

With the 2025 legislative sessions underway, at least 16 states have introduced bills aimed at preventing drug manufacturers from restricting covered entities' access to 340B drugs through contract pharmacies. Meanwhile, several states have introduced legislation that would require 340B providers to publicly report financial data on their 340B savings, and how they reinvest them into patient care. While some bills, like one in Colorado, are more narrow in scope, others, such as those in Indiana and Vermont, impose extensive reporting requirements that many providers believe are overly burdensome and lack important context.

Dark Money Campaign Targeting Contract Pharmacy Access Bills

Building America’s Future, a dark money group that does not disclose its donors, has launched a new misleading ad campaign in four GOP-controlled states with pending contract pharmacy access bills that falsely claim 340B funds subsidize gender transitions for minors. Although the ads urge conservative lawmakers to reject the legislation, lawmakers in Kentucky and Nebraska advanced their bills.

Federal Developments

House and Senate Republicans have unveiled budget proposals that call for deep healthcare spending reductions, signaling potential major Medicaid cuts. The Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead HHS despite vocal pushback from Democrats. And the Health Resources and Services Administration swore in a new administrator. Two key U.S. Senators gave remarks on 340B at a D.C. conference hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers.

In this episode of Inside 340B Report, Associate Editors Shannon Young and Will Newton and National Correspondent Bella Czajkowski break down the latest developments in the 340B program in statehouses and Washington, D.C. The team covers the intensifying fight over state-level 340B legislation and the reemergence of a controversial dark-money ad campaign, Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s contentious Senate confirmation hearings and the recent turmoil surrounding a now-rescinded federal funding freeze.

Key Topics Covered:

State-Level 340B Legislative Surge
At least 11 states have already introduced 340B contract pharmacy protection bills in early 2025 after a record-setting level of state 340B legislative activity in 2024. With both advocates and opponents more prepared than ever, the legislative battle is heating up. Meanwhile, a shadowy group, Building America’s Future, is once again launching misleading ad campaigns against state 340B contract pharmacy access bills that attempt to link that legislation to illegal immigration and other hot-button political and social issues.

Senate Confirmations – RFK Jr.’s 340B Stance Still Unclear, Mehmet Oz Tied to Company That Focuses on 340B
Despite six-plus hours of testimony and questions from Senate lawmakers, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on 340B is still unclear. The HHS secretary nominee’s confirmation hearings did not touch on the drug pricing program, with lawmakers instead focusing primarily on the high-profile vaccine skeptic’s controversial statements about vaccines and his grasp of Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, a 340B Report exclusive reveals that Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has recent ties to a company that works with 340B hospitals to utilize the 340B program. With his son continuing to play a senior role in the business, Oz’s confirmation process could enable senators to learn more about his position on the 340B program.

Federal Funding Freeze Sparks Chaos – Then Gets Reversed
A Trump administration memo that temporarily froze trillions in federal funds sent shockwaves through the healthcare sector, including 340B providers and community health centers. The freeze was quickly blocked by a judge and later rescinded, but concerns linger over future budget cuts. Republicans on Capitol Hill are also mulling potential Medicaid cuts to help cover the cost of Trump administration priorities, as well as restrictions on what 340B providers could charge employer-sponsored health plans for discounted drugs.

How to Follow Us and Learn More About This Episode’s Sponsor

Stay tuned for more episodes every other week! 🎧 Subscribe to Inside 340B Report on your favorite podcast platform and follow us on YouTube for video discussions.

This year, each episode will be brought to you by one of our Ultra Diamond sponsors. Maxor sponsored this week’s episode. From specialty pharmacies to comprehensive pharmacy management, Maxor optimizes the pharmacy experience for patients and partners. We are very grateful to Maxor for its sponsorship.

Subscribe to 340B Report with a Special Discount

Special discount for YouTube and podcast listeners. 340B Report is the indispensable source for news and intelligence on the 340B program. First-time subscribers may subscribe now using coupon code PODCAST25. Not ready to subscribe? Sign up for a 15-day free trial.