tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61649247066988807612024-03-14T01:31:54.356-04:00Inside HSCAA blog maintained by the Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA), a broad-based trade association that represents 14 group purchasing organizations (GPOs).
<br> <br>Learn more about HSCA and GPOs by visiting <a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org">www.supplychainassociation.org</a>HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-68740128088388235682016-10-07T09:24:00.001-04:002016-10-10T10:07:56.898-04:00Round-up: The Latest Developments on Generic Drug Price Spikes and the Importance of Competition<div class="MsoNormal">
Price spikes for critical generic drugs continue to
jeopardize patient access to healthcare.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Healthcare group purchasing
organizations (GPOs) are the sourcing and purchasing partners to America’s
hospitals, nursing homes, surgery centers and clinics, and we advocate for
policy solutions to help curb generic drug price spikes affecting healthcare
providers and the patients they serve. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/">Healthcare
Supply Chain Association</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> (</span>HSCA) President and CEO, Todd Ebert R.Ph., recently
detailed some of the policy solutions that HSCA and its members support in a <a href="https://morningconsult.com/opinions/additional-congressional-action-needed-help-prevent-future-generic-drug-price-spikes/">Morning
Consult op-ed</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">, including: 1) Support for the
bipartisan </span>“Increasing Competition in
Pharmaceuticals Act” (S. 2615), which mandates FDA priority review of
abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for products with only one
manufacturer; 2) Expanded priority review for generic injectable drugs with two
or fewer manufacturers; and 3) Priority review of an ANDA in instances where
there have already been significant spikes — specifically, where the market
price of an existing product increases at a rate of more than five times the
percent change that occurred in the Prescription Drugs Index of the Consumer
Price Index for the previous year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Governmental agencies, medical
journals and leading medical researchers have recently released new research
and reports on pharmaceutical pricing and the positive impact of competition on
the pharmaceutical marketplace.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A wrap-up of some of the relevant
reports is highlighted below:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1)<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7pt;">
</span>The U.S. Government Accountability Office
(GAO) released an August report titled <a href="http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/679022.pdf">Generic Drugs Under Medicare:
Part D Generic Drug Prices Declined Overall, but Some Had Extraordinary Price
Increases</a>, <span class="MsoHyperlink">which found that </span>significant
price spikes for some generic drugs jeopardize patient access to affordable
healthcare and drive up costs for patients, providers, Medicare and American
taxpayers. The report affirmed what GPOs hear both from healthcare provider
members and from generic drug manufacturers: Competition in the generic drug
market is critical to mitigating price spikes; a broad range of factors,
including access to active ingredients, production complexity, and supplier consolidation
affect competition; and a reduction in the FDA backlog of ANDAs could increase
competition in the market. <i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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2)<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7pt;">
</span>The GAO released another report in July, <a href="http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678281.pdf">Drug Shortages: Certain Factors
Are Strongly Associated with This Persistent Public Health Challenge</a>, which examined trends in drug shortages, the FDA’s
efforts to alleviate these shortages, and the relationship between certain
factors and shortages of sterile injectable drugs. Among the report’s top
findings were:</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Manufacturing and quality control problems that disrupt
supply are the primary cause of drug shortages;</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Increased competition from suppliers is part of the
solution to persistent shortages; and</span></li>
<li> FDA priority review of applications for sterile injectable
drugs has been effective in helping to address some shortages.</li>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The </span><em style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">Journal
of the American Medical Association</span></em><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> (JAMA) published a review in
July conducted by Harvard Medical School Researchers on prescription drug cost
drivers in the United States titled, </span><a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2545691" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The High Cost
of Prescription Drugs in the United States: Origins and Prospects for Reform</a><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">. The study authors found that the FDA’s backlog of ANDAs
has, in some instances, led to delays of up to three or four years for product
review and approval, which discourages manufacturers from trying to bring
competitive products to market.</span></div>
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HSCA and its member GPOs
consistently advocate for policy solutions that reduce costs, increase
competition, and remove barriers to market entry. Common-sense policy solutions
such as these will help foster competition, speed up entry for new
manufacturers and help avoid generic drug price spikes in the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-90041167703523511782016-05-17T12:03:00.001-04:002016-05-17T12:03:39.422-04:00HEALTHCARE SUPPLY CHAIN ASSOCIATION (HSCA) WELCOMES CAPSTONE HEALTH ALLIANCE AS NEW MEMBER<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The
Healthcare Supply Chain Association (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">HSCA) today welcomed Asheville,
North Carolina-based Capstone Health Alliance as a new member. Capstone
President and CEO Tim Bugg will join the HSCA board of directors, lending his
over 23 years of supply chain experience to the organization’s leadership body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“HSCA members are healthcare industry leaders in delivering
critical cost savings and efficiencies to America’s hospitals, long-term care
facilities, surgery centers and clinics. HSCA is pleased to partner with
Capstone to continue to tell the GPO story in Washington and around the
country, and to help advocate for policy solutions that increase competition
and innovation in the healthcare market,” said HSCA President and CEO Todd
Ebert, R.Ph. “We are also happy to welcome Capstone President and CEO Tim Bugg
to our board of directors, whose expertise will help GPOs continue to deliver
billions in savings annually to healthcare providers, Medicare and Medicaid, and
taxpayers. Capstone’s commitment to delivering cost savings to its provider
members allows them to continue to focus on providing first-class care to
patients.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Capstone is one of the largest affiliated alliances in the
southeast, with a membership of 85 health systems, 151 hospitals, and three
group partnerships. Since 2000, Capstone has implemented over $210 million in
savings for its members, with over 600 individual contracts. With its national
GPO partner, Premier, Inc., Capstone is able to blend regional and national
portfolios for outstanding contracting options.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Capstone takes an innovative approach to identifying cost
savings for our members. We are pleased to join an organization whose GPO
members are dedicated to delivering the best products at the best value to
healthcare providers and the patients they serve,”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> said Capstone President and CEO
Tim Bugg. “The healthcare supply chain plays an essential role in safeguarding
patient access to healthcare, and as a new HSCA member, Capstone looks forward
to helping advance practices that will strengthen the supply chain and,
ultimately, patient care.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To read the full release, click <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2016/Capstone_Release_FINAL.pdf">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-51432737642142228102016-04-27T11:01:00.001-04:002016-04-27T11:01:55.693-04:00HSCA Announces Support for Legislation to Help Address Generic Drug Price Spikes<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) today announced its
support for the “Increasing Competition in Pharmaceuticals Act” (S.2615), new legislation from Senators Susan
Collins (R-ME) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) aimed at creating a more competitive
generic drug marketplace. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“The <i>Increasing
Competition in Pharmaceuticals Act</i> (S.2615) is an important step toward
fostering a more competitive generic drug marketplace and ensuring patient
access to affordable medications,” said HSCA President and CEO Todd
Ebert, R.Ph. “HSCA applauds Senators Collins and McCaskill for their leadership
on S.2615 and we support the legislation’s mandated priority review of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for generic
drugs made by just one manufacturer. Healthcare group purchasing organizations
have a unique line of sight on the healthcare supply chain, and we look forward
to continuing to serve as a resource to the Senate Special Committee on Aging
as they work to advance S.2615.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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HSCA confirmed its support for the “Increasing Competition in
Pharmaceuticals Act” in a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate
Special Committee on Aging, which also thanked the Senators for their ongoing work to reduce healthcare costs and safeguard
patient and provider access to generic drugs. The letter went on to encourage
the Committee to consider future enhancements to the legislation, in the form
of a new subsection that also mandates priority review for generic injectable
drugs with two or fewer manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To read the full letter, <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/higpa.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/HSCA_Letter_on_Creating_a_Mo.pdf">click
here</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To read the full release, <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/S2615_Collins-McCaskill_Pres.pdf">click
here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-21210361472224615222016-03-21T13:24:00.003-04:002016-03-21T13:55:18.232-04:00HSCA APPLAUDS THE FDA FOR AUTHORIZING EXPEDITED REVIEW OF GENERIC DRUG APPLICATIONS FOR ‘SOLE SOURCE’ PRODUCTS<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">HSCA’s President
and CEO Todd Ebert, R.Ph., released the following statement today in response
to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to begin </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">prioritizing abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs)
for generic drugs with only one manufacturer, sometimes known as “sole source”
products:</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“We
applaud the FDA for taking this important first step to expand patient access
to critical generic medications. Expediting the review and approval process for
generic drugs with only one manufacturer will help increase competition in the
market, mitigate generic drug price spikes, and alleviate future drug shortages.
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“The
Healthcare Supply Chain Association and our member GPOs have a unique line of
sight into the causes of generic price spikes, and we are committed to reducing
costs and increasing competition and innovation in the market. We have worked
with Congress, FDA, and industry stakeholders to adopt practical solutions,
including review prioritization, to help address generic price spikes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“While
the FDA decision to authorize expedited review of sole-source product
applications will help foster competition in the generic drug market, there is
more to be done to ensure generic medications are accessible and affordable to
healthcare providers and patients who rely on them. We encourage Congress and
FDA to prioritize review of generic drugs with two or fewer manufacturers, or
where a price spike has already occurred, particularly in the generic
injectable market. We look forward to continuing to work with bipartisan leaders
from the Senate HELP and Special Aging Committees, as well as the FDA, on other
solutions to generic drug access.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">To read Todd
Ebert’s full statement on the FDA's decision to expedite ANDAs for sole source
products, <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2016/HSCA_on_FDA_Sole_Source_03-1.pdf">click
here</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-76002820846946184152016-03-02T08:50:00.000-05:002016-03-02T08:50:07.821-05:00HGPII Annual Report Reveals High Transparency, Accountability in Group Purchasing and Healthcare Supply Chain <div class="MsoNormal">
The Healthcare Group Purchasing
Industry Initiative (<a href="http://www.healthcaregpoii.com/" target="_blank">HGPII</a> ), an independent
organization dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, ethics, and
best practices in the healthcare group purchasing industry, has published its tenth
Annual Report to the Public. The Annual Report – a national survey of group
purchasing organization (GPO) business practices – found that all GPOs surveyed
are providing high levels of transparency in their contracting processes and
are adhering to strict codes of conduct to promote business ethics. <o:p></o:p></div>
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According to the report, GPOs are
actively promoting the availability of new innovative technologies in the
healthcare marketplace, and consistently sponsoring programs to encourage
greater diversity in the supply chain by promoting firms with minority
ownership. The report also revealed that GPOS are sustaining a strong ethical
culture across their purchasing activities, using both public standards and
internal controls. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“This report is a milestone in the
ten- year history of HGPII that demonstrates that our members are rigorously
adhering to their stated commitments to high standards of ethics, procedural
fairness, and professionalism in providing their health service customers real
savings through group purchasing,” said former Representative Phil English
(R-PA), National Coordinator of HGPII. "Our review of the current business
practices in the supply chain - based on comprehensive surveys and detailed
direct interviews with people making the contracting decisions - demonstrates
that HGPII participants are continuing to make solid, measurable progress in
applying world class standards to the challenge of leveraging health care
savings from a competitive market while maintaining quality.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“The number one goal of healthcare
group purchasing organizations is to provide value and cost-savings to member
providers, so that they can best serve patients,” said Todd Ebert, R.Ph.,
President and CEO of the Healthcare Supply Chain Association. “HGPII’s annual
review of the healthcare group purchasing industry reaffirms that GPOs are
transparent, accountable, and promoting competition in the market. By doing so,
GPOs are creating critical savings and efficiencies for their acute and
non-acute member providers – including the over 98 percent of all US hospitals
that utilize a GPO.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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HGPII monitors supply chain
practices by reviewing member questionnaires, conducting follow-up interviews
and select field reviews, and conducting an annual industry-wide best practices
conference with mandatory member attendance. HGPII is managed as an independent
institution by Arent Fox LLP, with oversight by key industry leaders. In
addition to former Rep. English, HGPII is co-coordinated by former Senator
Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and former Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT).<o:p></o:p></div>
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All Healthcare Supply Chain
Association (<a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/">HSCA</a>) member
GPOs are also members of HGPII. GPO Executives decided to create HGPII as a
platform to promote the development of transparency and accountability
standards, business practices, and ethics in the healthcare supply chain. Since
its inception, HGPII member-GPOs have conformed to consistently high standards
in their bidding and awards process, and have identified transparency in these
contracts as an organizational priority.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Read the full HGPII Annual
Report <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/31e15e5fee7b5a6208b646806/files/HGPII_Tenth_Annual_Report_to_the_Public_FINAL.pdf?utm_source=Arent+Fox+List&utm_campaign=13a930ffa5-2016_HGPII&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a013c8d3d-13a930ffa5-424153149" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-41539792618900230532016-01-28T10:08:00.003-05:002016-01-28T10:09:59.661-05:00HSCA COMMENTS ON SENATE HELP COMMITTEE HEARING ON GENERIC DRUG ACCESS & PRICE SPIKES<div class="MsoNormal">
The Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is scheduled to
have a hearing today on “Generic Drug User Fee Amendments: Accelerating Patient Access to
Generic Drugs.” HSCA President and CEO Todd Ebert, R.Ph., released the following
statement on the hearing, access to critical generic drugs, and steps that
Congress could take to help mitigate significant price spikes in the generic
drug marketplace: </div>
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“We
applaud the Senate HELP Committee for their commitment to mitigating price
spikes in the generic drug market – a trend that poses enormous risk to public
health by jeopardizing patient access to affordable healthcare. While the
Generic Drug User Fee Act (GDUFA) was designed to speed public access to – and
reduce costs of – generic drugs, since its implementation the FDA backlog for
new generic drugs has grown, and some opportunistic suppliers have driven up
their prices as a result of little-to-no competition. It is essential that new
manufacturers are able to enter the market in a timely manner to help increase
competition and reduce costs. We urge Congress to give FDA authority to
expedite review and approval for new generic drugs that have the potential to
mitigate price spikes and help ensure access to critical medications for
healthcare providers and the patients they serve.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The current backlog of Abbreviated New Drug Applications
(ANDA) at the FDA is compounding the problem of price spikes. Since the Generic
Drug User Fee Act <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack">was negotiated in FY2011, the FDA’s backlog
has continually risen along with its median review time</a> for product
approval. A private sector survey revealed that prior to GDUFA, review time for
ANDAs was 30 months. In FY2013, that time had risen to 36 months, and in FY2014
was estimated to be 42 months. A wait time of 3-4 years stifles the ability of
some manufacturers who want to reintroduce competition to the generic market.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ebert’s statement is the
most recent effort in HSCA’s history of working with Congress to address and
prevent generic drug price spikes. The organization previously sent
letters to the <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/HSCA_AgingCom_Ltr_Collins_Mc.pdf">Senate
Special Committee on Aging</a> and the <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/Senator_Alexander_and_Murray.pdf">Senate
HELP Committee</a> encouraging Congress to take specific action to help ensure
a healthy generic market and safeguard patient and provider access to essential
medications.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To read Todd Ebert’s full
statement on the Senate HELP Committee’s January 28 hearing, <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2016/HSCA_Statement_012816_HELPHe.pdf">click
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HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-73688289854787213482016-01-20T16:32:00.002-05:002016-01-20T16:32:48.540-05:00HSCA Names Veteran GPO Exec. Curt Miller to Lead Committee on Healthcare eStandards (CHeS)The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (<a href="http://supplychainassociation.org/" target="_blank">HSCA</a>) today announced that it has named veteran supply chain executive Curt Miller as Executive Director of the organization’s Committee for Healthcare eStandards (<a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/?page=CHeS" target="_blank">CHeS</a>). Miller previously served as Chief Information Officer for Amerinet, Inc., where for ten years he was responsible for the company’s information systems strategy, application development, network infrastructure, data management, and unified communications. <br />
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“For over 30 years Curt Miller has been at the forefront of innovation and improvement for group purchasing organizations, advancing healthcare e-standards that are improving the entire industry by opening up the ways manufacturers, providers, and patients communicate with one another,” said HSCA President and CEO Todd Ebert, R.Ph. “Curt Miller’s expertise and proven record make him the ideal leader for CHeS and for moving the entire healthcare industry toward a more interconnected and efficient supply chain – ultimately improving provider operations and patient care.” <br />
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“Adoption of comprehensive healthcare e-standards will make device, provider, and patient data accessible and interoperable across systems – enabling use and sharing of information to help providers, manufacturers and distributors operate efficiently and make critical care decisions with the full spectrum of information,” said Curt Miller. “Working with CHeS as its Executive Director is a natural continuation of my previous efforts to help improve the healthcare supply chain. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with leaders across the industry to advance e-standards.”<br />
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CHeS is a leading force in the healthcare industry’s efforts to improve accuracy, efficiency, and safety through the application of electronic standards in the healthcare supply chain. The committee’s guiding vision is to accelerate the adoption, implementation, and active usage of industry-wide data standards for improving efficiencies throughout the healthcare supply chain.<br />
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To read the full HSCA press release, click <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2016/CHeS_Curt_Miller_01202016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-15964271731291052302015-12-01T09:32:00.001-05:002015-12-01T09:32:59.369-05:00HSCA URGES CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION TO ADDRESS GENERIC DRUG PRICE SPIKES<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Price
spikes in the generic drug market are jeopardizing provider and patient access
to essential medicines. With their unique role and position in the healthcare
supply chain, group purchasing organizations (GPOs) often see early warning
signs of potential price spikes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The
Healthcare Supply Chain Association (</span><a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/"><u><span style="color: #0066ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">HSCA</span></u></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">)
is urging Congress to address price spikes in the generic drug market. Today
HSCA issued a press release about its efforts urging Congress to grant the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to expedite review and approval of
new drug applications for products where there are two or fewer manufacturers,
or in instances where there have already been price spikes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“Significant
recent price spikes in the generic drug market are an enormous risk to public
health and are jeopardizing patient access to affordable healthcare,” said HSCA
President and CEO Todd Ebert, R. Ph. “HSCA and its member group purchasing
organizations are committed to lowering costs and increasing competition in the
healthcare marketplace. We urge Congress to give FDA authority to expedite
review and approval for new generic drugs that have the potential to mitigate
price spikes and help ensure access to critical medications for healthcare
providers and the patients they serve.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Read the
full press release<u><span style="color: blue;"> <a href="https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/higpa.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/HSCA_Generic_Price_Spikes_Pr.pdf"><u><span style="color: blue;">here</span></u></a></span></u>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-38724564503388682962015-10-07T11:37:00.003-04:002015-10-07T11:37:34.395-04:00Senator Lamar Alexander, Top GPO Executives Close Out Final Day of HSCA 2015 Healthcare Supply Chain Expo<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #292929; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Senator Lamar
Alexander (R-TN) delivered the opening keynote on the third and final day of
the HSCA 2015 Healthcare Supply Chain Expo, discussing the current climate on
Capitol Hill from an insider’s perspective. Senator Alexander, who is chairman
of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP),
explored some of the most pressing issues facing the healthcare industry today –
including electronic health records (EHRs) and the rollout of Meaningful Use
stages II and III. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #292929; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Following the Senator, top GPO Executives from Premier Inc.,
Novation, HealthTrust Purchasing Group, MedAssets, and Greater New York
Hospital Association (GNYHA) convened for the Expo’s final panel. Moderated by
John Pritchard, publisher of the Journal of Healthcare Publishing, the panel “The
State of the Industry: Perspectives from GPO Executives<i>”</i> explored
how GPO executives prefer to do business, the state of the industry, and how
healthcare reform legislation has affected their business, members, customers,
and outlook for the future of the industry. Panelists included: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Durral Gilbert, President, Supply
Chain Services, <a href="https://www.premierinc.com/">Premier Inc.</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Jody Hatcher, President, Offering
Delivery and Operations, <a href="https://www.novationco.com/">Novation</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ed Jones, President and CEO, <a href="http://healthtrustpg.com/">HealthTrust Purchasing Group</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Jeffrey Woodyard, Senior Vice
President, Spend & Clinical Resource Management, <a href="http://www.medassets.com/">MedAssets</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Lee Perlman, President, GNYHA
Ventures, Inc. and Executive Vice President, and CFO, <a href="http://www.gnyha.org/">GNYHA</a></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moderator Pritchard asked the executives how their companies
kept up with ever-changing customer requirements. Several of the panelists
addressed the transition that providers are currently going through in terms of
payment for quality, versus payment for cost. While GPOs are committed to
getting the best value for their provider customers, they emphasized their work
helping their clients understand quality, outcomes, and real innovation – so that
they deliver the best possible combination of cost and quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Panelists
also discussed the future of healthcare consolidation, agreeing that
consolidation will continue and create opportunities as it does so. The
executives saw their jobs as helping their provider customers make forecasts
and predictions in the new healthcare ecosystem, to put them in a winning
position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
more information follow </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">@HSCA and @HISCIonline.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-42268339150327460052015-10-06T17:28:00.001-04:002015-10-06T17:28:51.259-04:00HSCA Presents: "The Power of Collective Change: Embracing Employee Wellness and Sustainability" at Expo 2015
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Closing out day two at Expo 2015 was a general session
entitled <b><i>The Power of Collective Change: Embracing Employee Wellness
and Sustainability.</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Moderated by Seema Wadhwa, Assistant Vice President of
Sustainability and Wellness at Inova Health System, the session focused on
environmental sustainability in supply chain management. By collectively
leveraging the market forces of supply and demand, the healthcare industry can
move to a healthier supply chain while reducing costs and improving quality and
outcomes.</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Taking part in the session this year was Gary Cohen,
President and Co-Founder of Health Care Without Harm. Health Care Without Harm
is an international organization that campaigns for environmentally sustainable
healthcare practices. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Mr. Cohen lauded GPOs as industry leaders, stating:
"It was GPOs that transformed and phased out the use of mercury in
healthcare products." </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Joel Sigler, Senior Manager of National Environmental
Health and Safety at Kaiser Permanente, joined Mr. Cohen on the panel.</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">"At Kaiser...we want to articulate to suppliers why
environmental sustainability is important...so we are using products that don't
have as large of a carbon footprint as previous generations," said Mr.
Sigler of Kaiser Permanente. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The third member who participated in this session was
Christina Vernon, Assistant Vice President for A Healthy Environment at
Carolinas HealthCare System. Carolinas HealthCare System is “a nonprofit
hospital network which operates hospitals, freestanding emergency departments,
urgent care centers, and medical practices in… North and South Carolina.”</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Touching on the importance of this issue as well as the
compact size of the field in which she operates, Ms. Vernon reported, "As
sustainability leaders in healthcare we are few and far between...there are
less than 100 [individuals and organizations] in this space."</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The panel engaged the audience, full of GPO members, suppliers,
and manufacturers, asking open-ended questions to urge movement on the issue of
environmental sustainability in healthcare. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-89426134506445967352015-10-06T11:54:00.002-04:002015-10-06T11:55:06.166-04:00HSCA, HEALTHCARE ACCELERATOR AVIA HOST ‘SINK OR SWIM’ INNOVATION COMPETITION ON SECOND DAY OF 2015 SUPPLY CHAIN EXPO<div class="MsoSubtitle">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Leaders from <a href="http://www.aviahealthinnovation.com/">AVIA</a>,<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> an
accelerator dedicated to helping healthcare providers successfully implement
emerging technology-enabled products & services, kicked off the substantive
portion of the program at Day 2 of the 2015 Healthcare Supply Chain Expo with
their “<a href="https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/higpa.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/Sink_or_Swim_Press_Release.pdf">Sink or Swim</a>” keynote and innovation competition. AVIA was built to
serve the needs of health systems, and addresses the most pressing challenges
by working directly with provider organizations to identify and implement the
best emerging tech-enabled solutions, at scale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoSubtitle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> “HSCA and its member
GPOs are committed to finding innovative suppliers and helping them bring their
products to market in order to enhance patient care, increase competition and
reduce costs for the entire supply chain,” said HSCA President and CEO Todd
Ebert, R.Ph. “The Sink or Swim competition is the latest reflection of our
industry-wide commitment to fostering innovation, which also includes processes
at every GPO to get innovative products on contract; annual innovative
technology summits; the HSCA Small Supplier Portal; and the creation of the
Healthcare Supplier Diversity Alliance (HSDA).”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">AVIA
Chief Strategy Officer Leslie Wainwright introduced AVIA’s signature Expo
programming “Sink or Swim” with an opening keynote about innovation in the
healthcare industry. Leslie shared that AVIA’s inspiration comes from entrepreneurs
who have tremendous value to add to the healthcare industry, and that it is AVIA’s
charge to help them enter and navigate that system.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
pushing the audience to think about how they can innovate their businesses,
Wainwright shared, “The time is now to push beyond incremental change.” Adding
that, “There is difference between how you approach a problem, and how you ask
fundamentally different questions.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wainwright
guided the audience – which included healthcare and GPO leaders, and suppliers
across the continuum of care – through real healthcare challenges that required
innovative thinking. From “improving the health of 1/3 more people at 1/3 less
cost” to “creating new integrated delivery networks that reduce dependency on
acute care hospitals by more than 50 percent,” Wainwright laid out real-life
scenarios that would require asking new questions and looking to new
innovations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;">With that, Wainwright and
her colleague, Chief Operating Officer Eric Jensen, introduced “Sink or Swim,”
an innovation competition in which healthcare entrepreneurs </span>touted their
pioneering products and services to a panel of supply chain industry experts. The
following competitors vied for a chance for valuable consultations with major group
purchasing organizations:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://avasure.com/">AvaSure</a> (Belmont, MI): The AvaSure remote Visual
Monitoring System leverages advanced audio and video technology to allow
Virtual Sitter Technicians (VSTs) to monitor multiple at-risk patients
simultaneously from a single location, improving patient safety while helping
providers better allocate their nursing resources.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.invisionheart.com/">InvisionHeart</a> (Nashville, TN): The InvisionHeart
ECG System is a mobile solution for capturing and managing 12-lead ECGs,
including the ability to read, visually compare, confirm, report, and store
diagnostic quality electrocardiograms.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.precisionfabrics.com/">Precision Fabrics</a> - DermaTherapy (Greensboro,
NC): Precision Fabrics’ DermaTherapy is the only line of bedding created
specifically for individuals who suffer from skin conditions. DermaTherapy
sheets are comprised of uniquely structured fibers that effectively wick
moisture away from the surface of sheets, resulting in a better sleeping
experience for patients.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.rightcaresolutions.com/">RightCare</a> (Philadelphia, PA): RightCare’s
solution suite helps providers identify high-risk patients during admissions,
prioritize their time and resource allocations for at-risk patients, and connects
patients with the right post-acute care agency or service that best fits their
unique needs and preferences.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://www.swipesense.com/">SwipeSense </a>(Chicago, IL): SwipeSense combines
point-of-care wearable and wall-mounted hand hygiene dispensers with real-time
usage data to eliminate dependency on manual observations and increase
compliance with infection control procedures. Badges are linked to the
individual, enabling full participation in facility efforts to improve hand
hygiene performance.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); line-height: 107%;">Following
a series of dynamic presentations and questions from expert panelists,
Chicago-based Swipesense was named the winner. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-65651426513136984042015-10-05T12:48:00.001-04:002015-10-05T12:48:18.782-04:00HSCA President and CEO Todd Ebert and Political Columnist Dr. Charles Krauthammer Open the 2015 Supply Chain Expo<div class="MsoNormal">
HSCA President and CEO Todd Ebert, R.Ph., opened the 2015
Healthcare Supply Chain Expo with remarks addressing the impact that GPOs have
on the broader healthcare industry. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why do healthcare organizations need help?” asked Ebert. “Healthcare
expenses are increasing, many suppliers have flat or declining revenues, and
the supply chain is an important part of the solution. GPOs provide tremendous
value."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ebert provided a program overview of the many networking and
educational opportunities taking place throughout the day, and over the next 3
days of the expo – including the Sink or Swim competition and GPO Executive
Panel on Tuesday, and Senator Lamar Alexander’s keynote on Wednesday. HSCA’s
top executive went on to explore the GPO story and “what we’re known for.” Said
Ebert, “GPOs reduce healthcare costs, support and embrace competition and
innovation, support and practice transparency, and improve healthcare
processes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Ebert laid out HSCA’s top policy issues which included
healthcare costs, drug price spikes, drug shortages, biosimilar products,
supply chain modernization, and quality metrics. “We will continue to be
actively involved in these key policy issues on Capitol Hill,” said Ebert,
adding that HSCA will be more proactive in promoting GPO and patient stories, representing
the entire continuum of care, and embracing efficiency and transparency. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Following Ebert, Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist
and political commentator Dr. Charles Krauthammer delivered the opening keynote
“Politics in Washington.” Dr. Krauthammer has over 25 years covering and
writing about the political scene in Washington, and is a regular panelist on “Inside
Washington” and FOX News. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Dr. Krauthammer examined the “end of an era with Obama, and
the beginning of a new era with 2016” as well as “the proper relationship
between citizen and state.” Moving from President Obama’s “social democratic”
take on healthcare – characterized by the Affordable Care Act and greater more regulation
“in the name of the larger good” – to whomever will succeed him, the healthcare
industry is facing a moment of great change. Dr. Krauthammer guided audience members
through the changes in the healthcare industry under the Obama administration,
and what the industry is facing under a change of leadership.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dr. Krauthammer closed his keynote by engaging the audience
in a lively Q&A session. Among other questions, he addressed a query about
corporate tax reform, sharing that he believes corporate tax reform will happen
after 2016, and predicted how various candidates would address such reform. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">@HSCA
and @HISCIonline will be live-tweeting all of the day's action-packed sessions.
Share your thoughts using the hashtag #ExpoDC2015.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-10277397033936336662015-10-05T08:12:00.005-04:002015-10-05T08:13:39.277-04:00HSCA Expo Day One Preview: HSCA and HISCI Welcome Healthcare Leaders to 2015 Expo in Washington, DC<div class="MsoPlainText">
HSCA and HISCI are excited to welcome supply chain and
healthcare leaders, group purchasing organization (GPO) executives, suppliers
from across the continuum of care, and top policymakers to the leading event of
the healthcare supply chain industry – the 2015 Healthcare Supply Chain Expo.
Taking place at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC, the expo offers a rewarding
balance of extraordinary educational and networking opportunities – with
attendees able to take advantage of dedicated one-on-one networking time and
front-row seats to hear industry and thought leaders discuss current trends in
the supply chain, and what to expect in 2016.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
The Expo's opening day will kick off at 11AM with
welcoming remarks by HSCA president and CEO Todd Ebert, R.Ph. Ebert will
preview the three-day expo, share insights on his time as head HSCA executive,
and highlight the many benefits GPOs offer to the healthcare industry. Dr.
Charles Krauthammer will follow at 11:15AM, delivering the opening keynote
"Politics in Washington." With over 25 years covering and writing
about the political scene in Washington, Krauthammer offers unique insight and
analysis into the goings-on inside the Beltway, and on the issues and topics
foremost in the minds of most Americans.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
After a lunch break from 12-1:15PM, attendees will gain
access to the inner workings of two GPOs in the "GPO Showcases"
session. Presenting GPOs will offer informational updates regarding offerings,
initiatives, and best practices that pertain to suppliers in 30-minute
segments. Showcases will be repeated in the second half hour of this hour-long
session to allow suppliers to attend both showcases.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
From 1:15-3:15PM, Expo-goers will attend a "Reverse
Tradeshow" - an opportunity for GPOs and IDNs to meet with their supplier
partners with the goal of strengthening both sides of that critical
relationship. Immediately following, from 3:15-4:30PM, the general session
"IDN Executive Series: Part 1" will feature a panel of IDN executive
members discussing pertinent issues in the supply chain and the role of IDNs in
forming successful relationships with suppliers. Panelists from Medical
Strategies International, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care,
Texas Health Resources, Cleveland Clinic, and Scripps Health will also discuss
best practices within their respective organizations and how these practices
can bring improved efficiency and innovation in the supply chain. Attendees
will further learn how to work within the GPO contracting umbrella.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
The FDA's Director Officer of Compliance, Cynthia
Schnedar, will deliver the closing speech "The Case for Drug Quality: An
FDA Perspective" from 4:45-5:45PM. With drug shortages continuing to rise
in the US, this session will explore the current status of drug shortages and
their impact on patients, healthcare providers, and the broader supply chain --
as well as go inside the FDA's efforts to
reduce drug shortages in the supply chain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Finally, from 5:45-6:30PM, Provista will sponsor the
Chairman's Welcome Reception. Attendance and networking are high at this
can’t-miss welcome gathering, which honors the Board of Directors, industry
leaders, and those who have committed time and energy to advancing the missions
of both organizations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
@HSCA and @HISCIonline will be live-tweeting all of the
day's action-packed sessions. Share your thoughts using the hashtag
#ExpoDC2015.<o:p></o:p></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-82459595290369999762015-09-16T12:27:00.002-04:002015-09-16T12:27:31.169-04:00HEALTHCARE SUPPLY CHAIN (HSCA) STATEMENT ON HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTEROPERABILITY AND PATIENT ACCESS TO RECORDS <div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Washington, DC (September
16, 2015) –
Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) President and CEO Todd Ebert today
released the following statement about health information technology (HIT)
interoperability and electronic health records (EHR) in connection with Wednesday’s
Senate HELP Committee hearing, <a href="http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/achieving-the-promise-of-health-information-technology-improving-care-through-patient-access-to-their-records"><i>Achieving
the Promise of Health Information Technology: Improving Care Through Patient
Access to Their Records</i></a>: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“We applaud the Senate HELP Committee for their
ongoing attention to health information technology (HIT) policy issues that are
vital to patient care. Advances in HIT, including data interoperability and
electronic health records (EHR), are driving a revolution in patient care and
health outcomes. For
healthcare providers to administer first-class patient care – and for patients
to effectively engage in their own care – they must have access to vital
patient and device data that are currently “locked” in system silos across the
healthcare supply chain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Comprehensive
EHRs with data that are accessible and interoperable across systems – and
operating under appropriate privacy safeguards – will allow providers and
patients to see a complete patient health picture and have access to all
applicable information when making critical care decisions. As Congress
continues to examine key HIT policy issues, we encourage them to support the development of
interoperability standards that require open source codes in order to enable
the secure exchange of important patient information among health care systems.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">To learn more about HSCA and its GPO members, click </span><a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/" style="line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-align: left;">here</a><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">. </span></span></div>
HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-59108775745078910222015-07-14T11:01:00.000-04:002015-07-14T11:01:17.155-04:00HSCA Names Nationally Recognized Supply Chain Leader Todd Ebert As President & CEO<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d5a03c60-8cfc-ffe3-0c5a-d9d9b664ed03" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Former Amerinet, Inc. CEO Brings More than 30 Years of Healthcare Expertise to Washington in New Role as Chief Advocate for the Healthcare Supply Chain Industry</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (</span><a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">HSCA</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that it has named nationally recognized supply chain leader Todd Ebert as President and CEO of the Healthcare Supply Chain Association. Ebert joins HSCA from Amerinet, Inc., where he has served as President and CEO since 2007.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There is no better advocate for the healthcare supply chain and the work that we do on behalf of providers and patients than Todd Ebert,” said Lee Perlman, GNYHA Ventures President and HSCA Board Chair. “The entire supply chain will benefit from Todd’s leadership, clarity of vision, and wealth of healthcare industry expertise, and we are thrilled that Todd has chosen to begin the next chapter of his distinguished career as the head of HSCA.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The value that HSCA and its members deliver to hospitals and the continuum of care has never been more critical, and Todd is the natural choice to lead our industry as the supply chain navigates the new opportunities and challenges of 21</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.59px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">st</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> century healthcare,” said Jody Hatcher, Novation President and CEO and immediate past HSCA Chair.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Supply chain organizations are not only vital cost-savings engines and sourcing partners to American hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and surgery centers, but are also growing in exciting ways to help meet evolving supply chain needs and advance innovation while lowering the overall cost of healthcare for the entire industry,” said HSCA President and CEO Todd Ebert. “I am passionate about the healthcare supply chain and the value that we deliver to providers, Medicare and Medicaid, and taxpayers. I look forward to continuing to be a strong voice for the supply chain in Washington and to serving as a private-sector partner for policymakers and all supply chain stakeholders.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ebert joined Amerinet from Intermountain Healthcare in 1992 and subsequently served in a variety of leadership roles, including vice president of Amerinet's pharmacy program, president of Amerinet’s private-label company, and president and COO. He took over as president and CEO in 2007 and served in that capacity until 2015. Ebert, a registered pharmacist, has gained extensive experience across various sectors of the healthcare industry. He is a former vice president and general manager of a specialty healthcare product logistics company; a director of hospital and retail pharmacy; and he has owned and operated a nursing home clinical pharmaceutical consulting company. Ebert has provided pharmaceutical consulting to foreign governments and international healthcare providers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ebert, who will move from St. Louis to Washington to take on his new role, is a former Chair of HSCA and is the immediate past Chair of the Healthcare Industry Supply Chain Institute (HISCI).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outgoing HSCA President Curtis Rooney resigned and will accept another executive position within association management company SmithBucklin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“We are grateful to outgoing president Curtis Rooney for further establishing HSCA as a health policy leader and supply chain resource in Washington,” added Hatcher. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read the press release, <a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/news/241259/HSCA-Announcement-Todd-Ebert-Named-HSCA-President.htm">click here</a>. </span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-51113678407795540942015-06-16T15:22:00.002-04:002015-06-16T15:22:54.242-04:00Rooney: Biosimilars Have the Potential to Increase Patient Access to Life-Saving Medications and Reduce Costs<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-4cc71cbc-fdd2-2799-57ed-35cd3c199099" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In a recent column for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Journal of Healthcare Contracting</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) President Curtis Rooney writes that the approval of the first biosimilar—a biologic drug that is highly similar to its reference product—in the United States marks the beginning of a new era in American healthcare. Rooney explains that biosimilars have the potential to increase patient access to innovative therapies while also reducing costs for the healthcare system.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rooney notes that several companies currently have biosimilar applications under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and then details the specific guidance documents the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and FDA have released as these drugs come to market.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rooney also outlines HSCA’s position on biosimilars in the piece:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Biosimilars should share the same International Nonproprietary Name (INN) as their reference biologic;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">FDA should issue clear guidance on the requirements to obtain an “interchangeable” designation;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">States should support a pathway for the expedient and safe implementation of biosimilars as soon these drugs are approved.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read the full piece in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Journal of Healthcare Contracting</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,</span><a href="http://www.jhconline.com/enter-the-biosimilars.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read HSCA’s policy position on biosimilars,</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Policy_Positions/HSCA_Position_Biosimilars.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-22788016547546950852015-06-03T10:12:00.000-04:002015-06-03T10:12:39.815-04:00HSCA Urges FDA to Address Backlog of Drug Applications<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-7ac99bbd-b9c2-6102-80fb-81fd9fa82f39" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">HSCA Offers Policy Recommendations to Speed the Approval of Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) and Increase Competition in the Generic Drug Marketplace</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) recently</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/Gdfua_Letter.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">sent a letter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging timely implementation of the remaining provisions of the Generic Drug User Fee Amendment (GDUFA). HSCA notes in the letter that GDUFA is vital to the safety, efficacy and affordability of the generic drug market, the healthcare supply chain and patients, and calls on the agency to improve the approval process for the growing backlog of Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) to increase competition in the marketplace.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“While we appreciate the work FDA has completed on GDUFA, the growing backlog of new drug applications is creating barriers to affordable and effective treatments for patients and hospitals,” said HSCA President Curtis Rooney. “We want to ensure the primary objectives of GDUFA—improved access, transparency and safety—are accomplished in a timely manner so that generic drugs can continue delivering savings across the entire healthcare supply chain.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In its letter, HSCA outlined the following recommendations to FDA to help safely expedite approvals and increase agency transparency:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">FDA should issue </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Target Action Dates</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (TADs) for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">all</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">backlog ANDAs</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">FDA should </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">post the number of all ANDAs</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> submitted as well as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">current backlog numbers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on its website;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">FDA should </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">fast-track potential generic drugs into markets</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> where high drug prices result from manufacturers taking unfair advantage of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shortages or market domination</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read the full letter, click</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/Gdfua_Letter.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ac99bbd-b9c3-378b-1d56-86d84453557d" style="vertical-align: baseline;">To learn more about HSCA, click</span><a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></span></div>
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HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-5214208142057600382015-04-22T09:58:00.003-04:002015-04-22T09:58:57.497-04:00 Rooney: New Survey Shows Hospitals Oppose Genentech Specialty Drug Distribution Change<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b2e8bcf2-e168-c873-1e90-6298b6837d2a" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In a recent piece for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Journal of Healthcare Contracting</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) President Curtis Rooney details the findings of a new survey of hospitals and academic medical centers on the impact of changes to the distribution channels for specialty cancer therapies from the biotechnology company Genentech. The survey, commissioned by HSCA member Novation, specifically found the following hospital perceptions about Genentech’s policy change:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sixty-three percent of Genentech customers said that the current delivery scheme is less reliable than the previous one;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ninety-three percent said that they had experienced no issues with the previous distribution model;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eighty-eight percent now report a delay in patient treatment because at least one of the drugs was unavailable;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eighty-one percent are confirming that the change is having a “moderate to significant impact” on their historic budgeted expenses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last fall, HSCA, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and other leading hospital advocacy groups and individual hospitals sent a</span><a href="http://www.aha.org/advocacy-issues/letter/2014/141028-let-healthorgs-clark.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">letter to Genentech</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> urging the company to continue delivering the cancer therapies through the traditional distribution channels “so that our hospitals can focus on providing the best care for their cancer patients.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read the full piece in <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>The Journal of Healthcare Contracting</i></span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">,</span><a href="http://www.jhconline.com/hippocrates-shrugged.html" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a> </span></div>
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HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-66920671626406945462015-04-20T12:42:00.000-04:002015-04-20T12:43:39.479-04:00HSCA, Supply Chain Experts Hold Hill Briefings on Healthcare Cost Savings and Supply Chain Modernization<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-6b2c2691-d7b3-c897-0449-9f443646c9d9" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) recently held two Capitol Hill briefings on the ways in which the healthcare supply chain enables cost savings. The briefings featured a panel of leading supply chain experts including </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lawton Burns</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, PhD, Professor of Healthcare Systems in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wharton School</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> at the University of Pennsylvania; </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gene Schneller</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, PhD, Professor of Health Care Supply Chain Management in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">W.P. Carey School of Business</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> at Arizona State University; and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jim Scott</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, President and CEO of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Applied Policy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The panel was moderated by HSCA President Curtis Rooney.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The briefing explored the impact of electronic health records (EHRs), unique device identifiers (UDIs), and drug serialization on supply chain cost savings and patient health; what Congress can do to promote savings in the healthcare supply chain; and the ongoing role of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) in providing value to the healthcare system.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Hospitals are facing mounting pressure to tighten budgets and reduce the growth in spending,” said HSCA President Curtis Rooney. “Healthcare supply chain organizations are the sourcing and purchasing partners to hospitals and are uniquely situated to help bend the cost curve. GPOs deliver savings to nearly all of America’s 5,000+ hospitals by providing best products at the best value.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“At the end of the day, I look at the micro-level because that is where healthcare costs can be controlled. The supply chain is where that can be achieved, and GPOs are a large part of that equation,” said Dr. Lawton Burns, professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Panelists also envisioned the future of the healthcare supply chain and described the ways in which GPOs are increasing their offerings to better serve hospitals and other healthcare providers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“GPOs help in the standardization process and perform a variety of contracting processes to bring the best products to their clients and also identify and vet new technologies. In essence, they have been technology incubators for hospitals,” said Dr. Gene Schneller, professor at Arizona State University’s W.P Carey School of Management.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“In our research, we found GPOs have increased the number of additional services they offer hospitals. This includes supply chain analysis, clinical evaluation and standardization, benchmarking data and other services that have played a role in quality improvement,” said Jim Scott, president of Applied Policy. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read Dr. Lawton Burns’ recent research on the supply chain, see his 2014 report prepared for the American Hospital Association (AHA)</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Research/AHA_AHRMM_Wharton_2014_Surve.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read Dr. Gene Schneller’s recent research on the value GPOs provide,</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/research/schneller.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read Applied Policy’s 2014 report on GPOs,</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Research/Applied_Policy_Report_2014.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-73635655323743464012015-03-20T13:21:00.003-04:002015-03-20T13:21:45.735-04:00 Guest Blog, Modern Healthcare Editor Merrill Goozner: When it comes to pricing Sovaldi, how NICE of them<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Merrill Goozner is the editor of Modern Healthcare. During 30 years as a journalist and educator, he has been a foreign, national and chief economics correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and professor of journalism at New York University. He was a keynote speaker at this year’s </span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/Forum_2015/2015_Pharmacy_Forum_Final_Pr.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">HSCA National Pharmacy Forum</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. This article originally appeared in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150317/blog/150319902" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Modern Healthcare</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Are the British agency's guidelines setting U.S. drug prices?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first cost-effectiveness analyses of Sovaldi and other new drugs for treating chronic hepatitis C virus infections are in, and it appears the guidelines set by the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have become the new ceiling for setting U.S. drug prices.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For those who have never heard of NICE, it is the advisory body that makes recommendations on the affordability of new therapies to the budget-constrained British National Health Service. When the price of a new drug goes over $50,000 per “quality adjusted life year” gained or QALY, NICE usually recommends the NHS look elsewhere for treatment options.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During debates over the Affordable Care Act, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin accused the Obama administration of backing British-style cost-effectiveness analysis to limit access to drugs. Coining the phrase “death panels,” which PolitiFact dubbed “the lie of the year,” the former vice presidential candidate stoked widespread fears the government would now apply a cost test to life-saving therapies.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cost-effectiveness analysis made headlines again last year when Sovaldi hit the market at the budget-busting price of $84,000 per course of treatment, which amounted to about $1,000 a pill. In an editorial challenging the usual justifications for high drug prices (see “</span><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140503/MAGAZINE/305039983/why-sovaldi-shouldnt-cost-84000" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why Sovaldi shouldn't cost $84,000</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”) and another debunking claims in the New York Times that it would save the healthcare system money over the long run (see “</span><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140809/MAGAZINE/308099984/sovaldis-cost-effectiveness-is-being-overplayed" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sovaldi's cost-effectiveness is being overplayed</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”), I speculated that “the back of my envelope says its QALY cost will come in right around or slightly above the earlier treatments—and somewhat below the $50,000 threshold.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I based that analysis on the fact that a cost-effectiveness analysis for another new drug that wasn't quite as effective as Sovaldi tipped the pricing scales at about $35,000 per QALY gained.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A study released yesterday that will appear in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases confirms that speculation. It found that using sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) and ribavirin for HCV will cost $47,304 per QALY gained. In darts, that is pretty close to a bullseye.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The study's authors, affiliated with NORC at the University of Chicago and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, received funding for the study from the CDC foundation. But they also report they received other funding from Gilead Sciences, Inc., the maker of Sovaldi.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sovaldi is now in a price war with newer treatments on the market, especially Viekira Pak from AbbVie. In the same NORC study, that combination pill's cost-effectiveness tipped the scales at $24,921. Pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and CVS Health have cut </span><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150106/BLOG/301069978/cvs-strikes-deal-to-offer-gileads-hepatitis-c-drugs-sovaldi-harvoni" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">exclusive deals</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">with the competing firms to help drive down the price, and it's likely that the market price for Sovaldi these days is as much as </span><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150205/NEWS/150209968" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">40% below</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> the original $84,000.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The final word isn't in yet on Sovaldi's cost-effectiveness, however. Another study that appeared today in the </span><a href="http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2197176" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Annals of Internal Medicine</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pegged the drug's cost-effectiveness at $55,400 per QALY gained - higher than the NICE threshold. But like the earlier study, that is probably based on the original price – not the discounted price.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Perhaps the last word should go to NORC researcher David Rein, who wrote on the organization's</span><a href="http://www.norc.org/blog/pages/sparks-post.aspx?BlogId=40" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #982329; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sparks blog</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #982329; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">that “limiting treatment access to patients with moderate and advanced disease has been offered as one possible solution to financing concerns. This strategy appears reasonable when one assumes no health impact from delaying treatment."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unfortunately, physicians don't have research to support a medical decision to delay treatment and “studies examining this issue will not be available for several years,” Rein wrote.</span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-56768043093504834442015-03-11T14:32:00.000-04:002015-04-20T12:42:21.412-04:00GAO Releases New Drug Shortages Report for Drugs Containing Controlled Substances<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-85c0083c-0a1a-52a0-cd7f-00ac90846c90" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently</span><a href="http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-202" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">released a new report</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on shortages of prescription drugs containing controlled substances. The report looked at trends in these types of shortages, potential causes, what effects they may have on patients and providers, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) management of the quota process, and how interaction between the DEA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can help mitigate the impact shortages and prevent future shortages.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The report notes that prescription drugs containing controlled substances are often used in various clinical settings and are very important for the treatment of patients with genuine medical conditions. The report also explains that it is the responsibility of the DEA to ensure that these substances are not diverted—which the DEA accomplishes in part by setting quotas on manufacturers. The DEA attempts to enact these quotas without inhibiting the supply of controlled substances needed for legitimate medical concerns.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Because the DEA necessarily puts quotas on these controlled substances, management of this system is an exceptionally important matter for public health, as these medications are often critical for patient care. The report notes that there has been a spike in shortages over recent years.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GAO recommended the Administrator of the DEA take five actions “to ensure an adequate and uninterrupted supply of controlled substances for legitimate medical use and respond to shortages of drugs containing controlled substances.” These five actions included:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Establishing controls and data checks</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so manufacturer quota submissions and DEA decisions are accurate;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Creating DEA performance measures to facilitate the uninterrupted supply of controlled drugs needed for medical use;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Monitoring all data to assess DEA administration of the quotas;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Designing internal policies for processing quota applications;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instituting policies and procedures to facilitate coordination with FDA in preventing drug shortages.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GAO also suggested the DEA and FDA update their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their ability to respond to existing and future drug shortages involving controlled substances.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For the full GAO report, “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">DRUG SHORTAGES: Better Management of the Quota Process for Controlled Substances Needed; Coordination between DEA and FDA Should Be Improved</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,”</span><a href="http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/668252.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For information on what the healthcare supply chain is doing to help combat drug shortages,</span><a href="http://www.drugshortage.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-46937856030464473862015-03-10T15:01:00.000-04:002015-03-10T15:01:12.613-04:00FDA Approves First Biosimilar Medicine in the U.S. <div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-dde91f15-050a-282d-60a3-2d2db1240153" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced its</span><a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm436648.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">approval of Zarxio</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the first biosimilar medicine in the United States. Biosimilars are therapies which have no clinically meaningful differences from innovator biologics—revolutionary medicines that treat chronic and life-threatening conditions. Biosimilars have the potential to significantly impact the healthcare system by increasing patient access to life-saving treatments while also reducing costs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) applauded the approval of Zarxio because it represents the first step in providing other biosimilars a pathway to market. Biosmilars will increase market competition for biologics, reduce costs and increase patient access to these vital medications. In fact,</span><a href="http://lab.express-scripts.com/insights/industry-updates/the-$250-billion-potential-of-biosimilars" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">one study</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> projects biosimilars could save the healthcare system as much as $250 billion over the next ten years.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">HSCA President Curtis Rooney said the following on the approval of Zarxio:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Biologic medicines have revolutionized treatment for many patients living with chronic or life-threatening conditions, but their high price has also created a barrier to access in many cases. Biosimilars promise to increase access to biologic treatments while also lowering costs for the entire healthcare system</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For HSCA president Curtis Rooney’s full statement,</span><a href="https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/higpa.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Press_Releases_2015/HSCA_Statement_on_Biosimilar.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For more information on HSCA,</span><a href="http://www.supplychainassociation.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-55857944466270198332015-02-10T16:13:00.000-05:002015-02-10T16:13:42.347-05:00 HHS Call for New Safe Harbors Demonstrates Ongoing Value to Federal Health Programs<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-fb945441-7556-1bff-4635-f4ee89f7bd6b" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Every year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) solicits recommendations for potential new “safe harbor” provisions under the federal anti-kickback statute of the Social Security Act. HHS recently announced the comment period, which runs through March 2</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">nd</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, in the</span><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/12/30/2014-30156/solicitation-of-new-safe-harbors-and-special-fraud-alerts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Federal Register</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So-called “safe harbors” under the Social Security Act exist because Congress was concerned that the range of activity potentially proscribed by the statute was so broad as to include innocuous and even beneficial commercial arrangements. Congress empowered OIG to create safe harbors to limit the statute’s reach and ensure that federal healthcare programs would continue to capture the benefits of legal business activity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Safe harbors are now commonplace – there are currently 25 existing safe harbor provisions under the law. A broad array of business practices are now protected within federal healthcare programs by safe harbors, including price reductions offered in health plans, equipment rentals, replenishment of ambulance supplies, and referral arrangements in specialty services. Safe harbors have been enacted to protect the benefits delivered by cooperative hospital service organizations, ambulatory surgical centers, and healthcare group purchasing organizations (GPOs).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">OIG codified the so-called GPO safe harbor to protect the billions of dollars in annual savings and additional efficiencies that GPOs deliver to hospitals, Medicare and Medicaid, and the healthcare system. The GPO safe harbor allows supply chain organizations to charge administrative fees to suppliers in order to help hospitals source life-saving products and to lower overall healthcare costs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) member organizations go above and beyond the ethical business conduct contained in the GPO safe harbor. All HSCA members are also part of the</span><a href="http://www.healthcaregpoii.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, an independent and voluntary organization dedicated to establishing the highest ethical standards and business conduct practices in the healthcare group purchasing industry. All HGPII member supply chain organizations must adhere to a strict Code of Conduct, report annually on adherence to these principles using an Annual Public Accountability Questionnaire, and participate in an Annual Best Practices Forum to discuss best ethical and business conduct practices with other supply chain organization representatives and interested parties.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In its annual review of safe harbors, the OIG considers a number of factors regarding the existing safe harbor provisions to ensure that practices are aboveboard and meet the agency’s strict qualifications. OIG then issues the report to Congress to ensure transparency. This process has repeatedly shown the value that safe harbor provisions continue to yield federal healthcare programs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For in-depth analysis on the GPO Safe Harbor, read a full report</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">from</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Richard P. Kusserow, former Inspector General of the HHS, here</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.supplychainassociation.org/resource/resmgr/research/gpo_report_22_march_2013.pdf?hhSearchTerms=%22kusserow%22" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Activities and Perspectives of the Office of Inspector General in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regarding Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs)</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To read the OIG’s notice seeking comments for potential new safe harbors,</span><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/12/30/2014-30156/solicitation-of-new-safe-harbors-and-special-fraud-alerts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">click here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-46928316004409131232014-12-19T09:47:00.000-05:002014-12-19T09:47:53.804-05:00Meet a Member of the 114th Congress: Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIISqUNoVm1nZSd4u2eg-5nI3jbjJU20g66yvV1EYMv_Z5dJ3pSXC6Gf7AeDKyAjX-ZCn8EcVtx5ytPeu9BoAdK4oLQF9F2nthjqHg4k8kepnztjF3uPzKcqHiBNJlIHS3W_4VgGwjYbQ/s1600/Cassidy+Cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIISqUNoVm1nZSd4u2eg-5nI3jbjJU20g66yvV1EYMv_Z5dJ3pSXC6Gf7AeDKyAjX-ZCn8EcVtx5ytPeu9BoAdK4oLQF9F2nthjqHg4k8kepnztjF3uPzKcqHiBNJlIHS3W_4VgGwjYbQ/s1600/Cassidy+Cropped.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inside HSCA examines members of the 114th Congress who have a background in healthcare or who could have an impact on the supply chain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dr. William “Bill” Cassidy won’t be a new face on Capitol Hill—but he will be in a new place.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Louisiana Republican is leaving the U.S. House of Representatives for the United States Senate after recently defeating incumbent Senator Mary Landrieu in a December 6th election runoff.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cassidy, who served as a Louisiana state senator before being elected to U.S. Congress in 2008, has been involved in healthcare his entire professional life. He started practicing medicine in 1983 and has taught at Louisiana State University Medical School since 1990. Furthermore, the Baton Rouge-based physician has undertaken many projects aimed at helping the uninsured and underinsured both in his community and overseas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example, Cassidy created a private-public partnership to vaccinate 36,000 children in the Baton Rouge area against Hepatitis B at no cost to parents; he co-founded the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic, which provides free health and dental care to individuals who work but lack insurance; and he provided medical treatment while travelling to Africa several times with his wife Laura, who is a surgeon.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cassidy has also said that repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act will be among his top priorities in the 114th Congress.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In a statement from his website, Cassidy says he has “always been committed to making sure all Americans have access to good health care,” and explains this should be achieved through free-market solutions that “give patients the power, not Washington DC bureaucrats.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cassidy has already been assigned a seat on the influential Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), where he will use his background in healthcare to shape legislation when he joins the upper chamber in January.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A graduate of LSU and LSU Medical School, Cassidy lives in the Baton Rouge area with his wife Laura and their three children.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For more information on Senator-elect Bill Cassidy, visit his campaign website</span><a href="http://billcassidy.com/home/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164924706698880761.post-11301724752365668642014-12-10T08:48:00.000-05:002014-12-10T08:48:21.364-05:00Meet a New Member of the 114th Congress: Brian Babin, DDS (R-TX)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA5B-dS-ntlEgoBOB1QLpE8wiBMRPGHrX9gKEEiNGY967BVz-gg9xF8BDKNcP86EFhWVwCg06PIS9YNDp37TFfmsSrKTqhmEgH2AcAjNZDT5Umxhpt_uSm_MpKY65pCY-5DSj8hqX8Rw/s1600/Babin+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA5B-dS-ntlEgoBOB1QLpE8wiBMRPGHrX9gKEEiNGY967BVz-gg9xF8BDKNcP86EFhWVwCg06PIS9YNDp37TFfmsSrKTqhmEgH2AcAjNZDT5Umxhpt_uSm_MpKY65pCY-5DSj8hqX8Rw/s1600/Babin+cropped.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inside HSCA examines new members of the 114th Congress who have a background in healthcare or who could have an impact on the supply chain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dr. Brian Babin has practiced dentistry for over 30 years, first in the U.S Air Force and later through his private practice. He will bring his extensive background in healthcare and public service to Congress as the next U.S. Representative of the 36th Congressional District of Texas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Babin ran as a strong conservative and made water conservation, border security and healthcare reform the core messages of his campaign.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The dentist believes the Affordable Care Act should be abolished, stating that the legislation is “destroying jobs, the economy, and causing millions to lose their promised healthcare policies.” His plan for reform is to replace the Affordable Care Act “with federal tax credits and free market solutions.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Before easily defeating Democrat Michael Cole in the general election, Babin fought through a difficult primary field—eleven other Republicans sought the seat vacated by Rep. Steve Stockman—to eventually defeat tea-party backed Ben Streusand for the GOP nomination.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What many say distinguished Babin in the crowded primary battle was his deep connection with the district, which was formed through years of community involvement.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition to running his successful dental practice in Woodville, Texas, Babin was also Mayor of the city, served as a City Councilman, is a deacon at his Baptist church and has held numerous board and advisory positions in the area. Furthermore, Babin has campaigned for state and national Republican candidates for decades, helping turn the one-time Democratic stronghold into a consistently Republican district. This established strong ties to the region’s politics and gave him a distinct advantage over his competition.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Babin earned his BS degree from Lamar University and his DDS from the University of Texas at Houston. He has been married to his wife Roxanne for over 40 years and has 5 children and 11 grandchildren.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For more information on Representative-elect Brian Babin, visit his campaign website</span><a href="http://www.babinforcongress.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
<br />HSCAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718765672846865634noreply@blogger.com0