[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6208640,"mediaKeyId","3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85","parentId",3743340,"title","Health centers urge Massachusetts to protect 340B program; critics call for transparency reforms","audioSeconds",3413,"startMs",277000,"endMs",3690000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85&start=277&end=3690","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85/thumbnail_277000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6208640/Massachusetts/Health-centers-urge-Massachusetts-to-protect-340B-program-critics-call-for-transparency-reforms","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208640-f397ecab6f86067a6cdcba45427f9725/orig.mp4?Expires=1770729833&Signature=gnEplvHnowPYBNEXZUU68ncYdS1f8BfdfWtVmCarHjYVgvvi9GBYhGxCM0jw7ticuDuO4oxnwOw5ejiwUwmoK1NE5LxfBlV5rXOzbMVNBeiZfuLc3XKQVWaN2I8UNXle7Wle88cncPvMUgUbzph2Z2q-CMda6oytUiw8Im7W3M4iE6fJMPJX-XjYgGYQ0PSSy9lZ4rYIe1hdSJniwo9LOKpzPdnnAflXcf45SIzK3bIGIVo2OroVu~s6POC8S8W1IL0L4pldN5faQTwY7hv7uw8SLSRzEf~42lc6lOztO779TZUhDM16fg~36c6yyveT-4-QN6sO70SJWDK2ljGWJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Massachusetts Legislature","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","BOSTON — Leaders of Massachusetts community health centers urged the Joint Committee on Financial Services on March 1 to pass House Bill 1107 and Senate Bill 819 to stop manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from undermining the federal 340B drug discount program that health centers use to fund services.

\"The 340B program is a vital federal policy that allows eligible safety-net providers to stretch scarce resources and invest these savings directly into care,\" said Christina Severn, president and CEO of Community Care Cooperative. She testified that 340B savings are not patient discounts but a sustainability mechanism that supports primary care, behavioral health and other services at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).

Supporters said manufacturers have begun restricting shipments to contract pharmacies and PBMs have imposed discriminatory contracting terms that reduce the net savings health centers rely on. \"This legislation represents a no-cost solution that will restore millions of dollars in lost savings to community health centers across Massachusetts,\" said Amy Benarier, executive director of the Fenway Institute at Fenway Health.

The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers reported survey findings to the committee showing financial strain: 78 percent of surveyed member centers had an operating deficit and 83 percent reported at least one wait list for primary, behavioral or dental services. Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, said health centers now represent about 8 percent of 340B spend while they depend on program savings to sustain care in high-need communities.

Several community health center executives gave specific examples of how 340B revenue is used. Ruby Pazzanetti, chief operating officer of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, said her center uses roughly $3,000,000 in annual 340B savings to pay for technology, pharmacies, and interpreter services. Brenda Rodriguez, CEO of Lynn Community Health Center, said 340B savings funded care coordination, medication delivery, dental care and transportation services for complex patients.

Not all testimony supported a straight legislative fix. William Smith, a public policy analyst at the Pioneer Institute, and witnesses from the Community Liver Alliance warned the committee that large hospitals and some contract pharmacies may be profiting from 340B without demonstrable community benefit. Smith urged more transparency: \"If we knew exactly what hospitals were taking in from 340B and where they were spending it, we would have some idea who's serving their communities well and who is not.\" Clayton Ruley of the Community Liver Alliance recommended mandatory state-level reporting similar to reporting frameworks adopted in states such as North Carolina and Minnesota.

Pharmaceutical industry representatives also opposed parts of the bills. Rachel Caudle Latham, senior director for state policy for a national biopharmaceutical trade group, told the committee that mandating 340B pricing at all contract pharmacies and prohibiting certain claim modifiers could entrench current practices and raise costs for employers and public plans. She cited national growth figures and warned of unintended fiscal impacts on public purchasers.

Committee members pressed witnesses on whether covered entities already submit federal reports and what additional state reporting would require. Health center witnesses said many FQHCs already report federally and offered to rely on existing reporting rather than add new administrative burdens.

The committee did not vote on any bill at the hearing. Supporters asked the committee to report H.1107 and S.819 favorably; opponents asked for a slower approach that begins with mandatory transparency and accountability reporting before expanding protections.

Ending: Advocates on both sides asked legislators to act — supporters to restore immediate revenue to struggling health centers, and critics to adopt state-level reporting measures before locking in statutory protections. The committee will consider the testimony as it reviews several related bills.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee on Financial Services - 6-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Leaders of Massachusetts community health centers told the Joint Committee on Financial Services that House Bill 1107 and Senate Bill 819 would stop manufacturers and PBMs from stripping 340B savings that safety-net providers use for care.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MA, Massachusetts","taxId",77682,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208625,"Health advocacy groups back H.1092 to tie drug prices to value; industry and some patient groups warn of overreach",500,8275000,7775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85&start=8275&end=7775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85/thumbnail_8275000.jpg","/articles/6208625/Massachusetts/Health-advocacy-groups-back-H1092-to-tie-drug-prices-to-value-industry-and-some-patient-groups-warn-of-overreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208625-f288e26806d75a36f641f13596097161/orig.mp4?Expires=1770729833&Signature=FHxK7p6xIg0wzJwOuhkJuaXvUN4Ep-zl2Zc6lJqiACUxzoZFBzO89OwLxZmeEul~0m8ApBFLzTcqNXKnPx~xj4oLsPM0LJGAEcVdojBbAs-Y~BHIEu2RfwwqFmWHKlnZ00J323J9VQc497f0ma~8b1byj1zc2rfLh74Sab6ZUQOwv57fsXC-t748v1~VIiyPGkGmQ30taQrXF7ukipWFn2V9C1gM4cNH2FVjobNCeDvoCOfdMgrb3s9Wp6YtuvWmrFwdrXDEZWHy4W4jKOukh3sF--V~XnOolS4XIcYq~rMMCn2lkYwj1V05JeJ7DVhyWHw3semf0rZUwTMChVdsjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BOSTON — Supporters of House Bill 1092 told the Joint Committee on Financial Services the state needs new tools to evaluate whether high-priced medicines deliver commensurate clinical benefit and to hold manufacturers accountable for excessive prices.

Grace Jurkovich, policy manager at Health Care For All, testified that prescription drug spending is the fastest-growing category of health care cost and that H.1092 would allow the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to refer high-cost drugs to the Health Policy Commission (HPC) for further review and possible publication of a proposed value. \"These provisions are important because often the most expensive drugs offer no additional clinical benefit to justify their high list price,\" Jurkovich said.

Disability advocates supported the bill. Samantha Fine of the Disability Policy Consortium said people with disabilities are disproportionately harmed by high prescription costs and cited CDC data showing disabled adults on prescription medications are more likely to not take medication as prescribed because of cost.

Students and researchers also testified in favor. Stephanie Wang, a graduate student who cited international health technology assessment models, urged Massachusetts to adopt accountability standards used in other countries that evaluate clinical and economic value.

Opponents warned the bill's language is vague and could produce unintended consequences. Derek Flowers of the Value Care Coalition said the measure lacks clear criteria and methodology to measure value and risks prompting formulary restrictions, reduced pharmacy stocking, or increased utilization management that could harm patient access. He urged the committee to require clear, patient‑centered valuation frameworks and guardrails.

Health-plan representatives echoed those concerns and asked the committee to consider broader cost drivers. Sarah Caramita of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans said drug costs are the largest driver of growth and that changes to how drugs are evaluated must account for impacts on premiums and plan design.

Supporters said H.1092 would not preclude patient-centered review and could create transparency and benchmarks to negotiate better prices for drugs with low added benefit. The committee did not vote on the bill and asked stakeholders to provide methodological detail on how CHIA and HPC would evaluate drug value.

Ending: The hearing highlighted strong advocacy for state tools to assess drug value and mixed views about process design; the committee requested technical follow-up on evaluation methodology and consumer protections.","Health Care For All, disability advocates and students urged the Joint Committee to advance H.1092, which would authorize CHIA and the Health Policy Commission to review the clinical value of high-priced drugs and publish proposed values.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208630,"Lawmakers hear bills to expand access to specialty medications and allow non-network dispensing",6746,123000,6869000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85&start=123&end=6869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85/thumbnail_123000.jpg","/articles/6208630/Massachusetts/Lawmakers-hear-bills-to-expand-access-to-specialty-medications-and-allow-non-network-dispensing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208630-d5353f5eb7b96851d68901ce770860aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770729833&Signature=oIUaNUFOY6LtdF1-eFsrfR-51gbqb956tNrByXxBh6Ym-slgpNbIui7tOuKYuJXn3I9-0Ic5zX7hx7NNzvhJQpPxCc7fhwL9LiqSsabULtbavKH80MkSqs0m6yd4HXB-XVJqFDn1zE2oQ2u8nPADPzWnxqQW53oHKrRgdSFcJz5FhwIiCZQ27mdC9AEHSF8pLeqlq8Yi0~Y61JdmFjleYcCKVdbPr5s14UYcVk~IMWWuoWl73hwLBdrDFZ~EOJxsv~pQfjB7HK~KdJFB8S5fUT4IEQTmpOJtShT0~Gk69wgxnh4Vkueh0Pb9yS9wDx2lSw6Mj3FpRUudar~sE0xvXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BOSTON — Lawmakers heard testimony supporting legislation to ease access to specialty medications by expanding the number of pharmacies that may dispense them and by reducing PBM-imposed administrative barriers.

Senator Jamie Eldridge testified in support of Senate Bill 734, \"an act ensuring access to specialty medications,\" which he said would define specialty drugs as those requiring special handling, administration or monitoring and would bar insurers from preventing non-network pharmacies that can meet those requirements from dispensing them. \"PBMs and insurance companies are creating these barriers that make it harder for a lot of independent pharmacies to be able to deliver specialty drugs to their consumers,\" Eldridge said.

Representative Clayton Ruley filed similar legislation in the House (H.1322). Ruley told the committee that specialty medications are often high-cost and administratively burdensome for patients and providers; the proposed bills would create a procedure that allows qualifying independent pharmacies to dispense specialty drugs and thereby expand local access and support small pharmacies.

Supporters argued the bills would reduce delays in starting treatment, lower out-of-pocket costs caused by forced mail-order fills or vertical steering to PBM-owned specialty pharmacies, and help small independent pharmacies remain viable in their communities.

PBM testimony cautioned lawmakers about requirements that would limit plan sponsors' ability to design benefits and control cost: Sam Hallmeier of PCMA emphasized that plan sponsors choose PBMs for purchasing leverage and urged waiting for the Health Policy Commission's ongoing assessment rather than mandating network rules that could increase premiums or co-pays.

The committee did not vote on the measures. Sponsors asked for favorable reports and additional committee review of clinical credentialing, accreditation standards for specialty pharmacies, and fiscal modeling of any mandate.

Ending: The committee requested follow-up information on accreditation standards for specialty pharmacies and on the fiscal effects of limiting plan design options.","Senate Bill 734 and House Bill 1322 were presented to the Joint Committee on Financial Services with supporters saying the measures would let qualified non‑network pharmacies dispense specialty medications and reduce treatment delays.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208635,"Patients, pharmacists press for PBM reform; PBM trade group warns of higher costs",1720,6232000,7952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85&start=6232&end=7952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3743340-aeb2666193cfba67aecdbaf320a39a85/thumbnail_6232000.jpg","/articles/6208635/Massachusetts/Patients-pharmacists-press-for-PBM-reform-PBM-trade-group-warns-of-higher-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208635-1047a29692df3c63452e14ce368b9fb9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770729833&Signature=RxFk08t3JvqIPiQ~QOlzv8mNG2KLl~J~xgnRCmyNOxdDXoObZHJ8HsVeGl2t1VyRTDHyyZIQ92HV3FAuXTvBkXgtDryfudLI8JtVsaxB6Z6ScYsCjYzFkZ2XQ58gM6ri8NtFw6IMJJh9~h4yniZ6YGP3FEChq1Kqd7o4NbtmWONyIWI2Uuo8qrc-N6F-YMTRO5gXY0ooT8pj9EYtPpGcs3vXNknaS41emSA8VAQsD3CuLob4bZj8nMHItv-Q~Ynx4yJTyyLkGuf9niACjQ2IYCgdnIDY5ZC0mqLswP1yQ8y72fiGkqjb8K5SVtlDqXSJNB-bINKoq1Vtrfl8HvMe9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BOSTON — Patients, independent pharmacists and pharmacy associations told the Joint Committee on Financial Services that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are imposing practices that drive patients’ costs up and push independent pharmacies toward closure.

Jody Quinn, a Plymouth resident who has lived with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis for more than 20 years, described repeated PBM delays and denials: \"PBM is a powerful middleman in the health care supply chain. They impact patients, providers, and local pharmacies.\" She urged support for H.1234 and other PBM reform bills that would require rebate pass-through, create a PBM duty of care, and ban spread pricing.

Independent pharmacy advocates and state pharmacy groups pressed the committee for measures they say are necessary to keep pharmacies open. Todd Brown, executive director of the Massachusetts Independent Pharmacists Association, and Dennis Lyons, representing the Massachusetts Independent Pharmacists Association (written comments by the association were submitted), supported House Bill 1157 and Senate Bill 831 to require fair reimbursement tied to a Medicaid-style payment formula, to ban spread pricing and retroactive clawbacks, and to require reasonable PBM audit policies.

\"Community pharmacies are being underpaid, PBMs are being overpaid, and community pharmacies are closing,\" Brown testified, citing federal and state findings on margins and the loss of independent stores in Massachusetts.

Pharmacists and health-system pharmacy representatives described clinical impacts. Joanne Doyle Catrangelo, a pharmacist at Mass General Hospital and secretary for the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association, said one recent prior authorization required 15 phone calls and two weeks to resolve; the patient returned to the ICU while the paperwork was pending. Hospital and health-system pharmacists argued that safer care and improved medication adherence require local pharmacies and reasonable reimbursement.

Patient advocates and diabetes-care experts argued that reforms would improve adherence and outcomes. Paul Madden, a long-time diabetes educator and patient, urged passage of rebate pass-through bills and S.724/H.1234, noting that drug affordability affects hospitalizations and long-term complications.

PBM and health-plan representatives defended current arrangements. Sam Hallmeier, Senior Director of State Affairs at the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), told the committee that PBMs negotiate discounts and that plan sponsors have audit rights in contract language. He urged the committee to await the Health Policy Commission’s (HPC) ongoing review created by PACT Act reforms passed last year, saying several proposed bills could reduce cost-control tools available to plans and raise premiums and co-pays.

Health plans made similar arguments. Sarah Caramita of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans said bills requiring any-willing specialty pharmacies or mandated rebate pass-through would increase costs for plan sponsors and members and could add hundreds of millions to state health spending.

The committee heard many patient stories recommending reforms that would require PBMs to pass rebates to patients at point of sale, ban spread pricing and clawbacks, establish a duty of care, and require transparent audit procedures. Providers and independent pharmacists urged fixing pharmacy reimbursement with a published, auditable formula.

No formal votes were taken. Committee members asked sponsors and stakeholders to provide additional data on audit outcomes, audit policies, and the projected fiscal impacts of the bills.

Ending: The testimony underscored broad agreement on patient harm and pharmacy closures, deep disagreement on root causes and remedies, and a legislative path that the committee will continue to explore.","Multiple patients, independent pharmacists and state pharmacy associations told the committee that PBM practices — spread pricing, steering, and opaque rebate retention — are harming patients and community pharmacies and urged passage of multiple PBM reform bills. PBM representatives and some health plans warned the committee reforms could raise…","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Health centers urge Massachusetts to protect 340B program; critics call for transparency reforms

Health advocacy groups back H.1092 to tie drug prices to value; industry and some patient groups warn of overreach

Lawmakers hear bills to expand access to specialty medications and allow non-network dispensing

Patients, pharmacists press for PBM reform; PBM trade group warns of higher costs