AHA, others urge HRSA to extend comment deadline on 340B rebate program

The AHA, joined by several other national groups representing 340B hospitals, Feb. 19 urged the Health Resources and Services Administration to extend the timeline for stakeholders to submit comments to the agency's recent request for information on a new 340B rebate model program.

Specifically, the groups urged HRSA to extend the comment deadline to April 20 to give stakeholders sufficient time to gather information and provide complete answers to dozens of detailed questions contained in the RFI. The current deadline for comments is March 19.

"In general, this timeline would better allow stakeholders, including the 340B hospital field, to provide the agency with meaningful feedback," the groups wrote. "As HRSA has previously recognized, a rebate mechanism would upend more than 30 years of practice using an upfront discount mechanism. This modest extension is necessary to fulfill the agency's own stated goal of ensuring 'a fair and transparent comment process for all stakeholders.' Indeed, without an extension, we have serious concerns whether the agency will be able to consider all aspects of the problem."

In addition to the AHA, today's letter was signed by America's Essential Hospitals, American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, Association of American Medical Colleges, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Children's Hospital Association, and 340B Health.