ZorroCard Round Up (11/14/24)

Hey all,

I would highly recommend reading William Sarraile’s post today. While I don’t necessarily agree with every point it is incredibly well thought out. Enjoy the rundown!

Jacob Brody (Co-Founder & CEO, ZorroCard)

Analysis of J&J’s 340B Lawsuit Against HRSA (Sarraille Healthcare Insights)

Johnson & Johnson’s legal battle with HRSA raises questions about transparency in the 340B drug discount program, which provides billions in discounts to health providers but has little accountability for how funds are used. Attorney William Sarraille critiques both J&J and HRSA, highlighting flaws in HRSA’s reasoning and the program’s potential misuse by large hospitals and pharmacies. The case could reshape how Medicare drug pricing and oversight function. Full Article.

Sen. John Thune’s Focus as Senate Majority Leader (Stat News)

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), newly elected Senate majority leader, prioritizes telehealth expansion, rural health care, and transparency in drug middlemen practices. While his public agenda includes broader issues like border security and bureaucracy, health care initiatives, including permanent telehealth policies and Medicare reforms, remain key concerns. Thune has also introduced bipartisan legislation targeting pharmacy benefit manager practices and improving Medicare services, though progress on these bills has been limited. Full Article.

Lack of PCPs and Lung Cancer Screening Rates: A shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) is significantly lowering the rates of lung cancer screenings, which are critical for early detection and improving survival rates. With fewer PCPs available, patients often miss essential preventative care, including referrals for low-dose CT scans recommended for high-risk individuals. This highlights the urgent need for healthcare systems to address PCP shortages to improve access to life-saving cancer screenings. Full Article