A recent US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) US Supreme Court loss involving drug reimbursements to hospitals may impact a larger battle over drug discounts for low-income Americans. According to this Blomberg Law article, the Court ruled in June that HHS improperly cut $1 billion a year in drug reimbursements to hospitals through a government program that assists at-need populations. Now, both HHS and hospitals may be on the same side of a different skirmish—whether the agency can require pharmaceutical companies to offer discounts to specific pharmacies. McDermott Partner Emily Jane Cook said language in the Court’s opinion “suggests that the court does have a very favorable view of the 340B program and the hospitals that participate in that program.”
HHS Supreme Court Loss Previews Low-Income Drug Discount Fight
By Emily J. Cook on July 12, 2022
Emily J. CookIn today’s complex and fast-changing healthcare regulatory environment, Emily Jane Cook helps healthcare organizations thrive. Innovative start-ups and established market leaders alike turn to Emily for broad-spectrum strategies to fuel new business initiatives and solve their most pressing compliance, transactional, reimbursement and litigation challenges. Emily is a practice area leader for the Healthcare Regulatory & Compliance practice. In addition to Emily’s role as a national authority on the 340B drug pricing program, Emily helps clients navigate the full suite of federal and state regulations that are essential to healthcare operations. She partners with a wide range of organizations, including non-traditional service providers and new market entrants to identify, protect and expand revenue opportunities, including via private-equity-backed ventures. Her comprehensive counsel encompasses evolving issues such as No Surprises Act (NSA) implementation, development of new provider types, Medicare provider-based and co-location rules, and trends in qui tam litigation and government investigations. She works closely with colleagues in McDermott’s transactional, litigation and private equity practices to deliver fully realized solutions for her clients. Read Emily Cook's full bio.
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