Health Company Challenges Drug Discount Plan Purchasing Policy

A federal health agency’s policy limiting certain hospitals from using their group purchasing arrangements to buy medicines outside of a drug discount program is contrary to law, according to lawsuit filed by Premier, Inc.

The Health Resources and Services Administration acted unlawfully when it denied Premier’s request to exempt it from a 2013 policy that limits when hospitals under the 340B Drug Discount Program can use their group purchasing arrangements to buy non-340B drugs, according to the health-care company’s complaint filed Nov. 1 in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

Under the federal 340B program, covered ...