Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Hearing Regarding 340B Drug Pricing Program – On Thursday, March 5, 2015, the Subcommittee on Health, chaired by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), is holding a hearing titled “Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program.” The objective of the hearing will be to review the functionality of the 340B program to ensure it is improving access to prescription drugs for needy patients.  Testimony will be provided by witnesses from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Government Accountability Office, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Background documents are available here.

OMHA Formally Announces Implementation of AASIS Website – On March 2, 2015, the Office for Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) formally announced the implementation of the ALJ Appeal Status Information System (AASIS) Website.  According to OMHA, the AASIS website provides public access to appeal status information and is accessible through the OMHA website by selecting the “Appeal Status Lookup” link.  Appellants and others can query Level 2 (reconsideration) and/or Level 3 (administrative law judge) appeal numbers and receive information such as (i) date appeal received; (ii) appeal status; (iii) field office; and (iv) ALJ assignment and team phone number.  Links to the AASIS website are available here and here.