In the latest episode of our business-focused podcast 340B Leaders Upfront, host Anna Mangum sits down with two executive leaders at VytlOne: Joel Wright, President of Pharmacy Services and John Stephens, Senior Vice President of Transformation and Analytics. VytlOne is a comprehensive pharmacy services company that also offers pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services.

Key Topics Covered:

Pathways to 340B

Joel and John describe their respective pathways to 340B and to VytlOne. Joel outlines prior roles in pharmacy, including at Walgreens. John outlines his background in business development, strategy and innovation, including a stint at the specialty pharmacy service company AllianceRx that provided services to 340B providers.

Rebate Pilot

John discusses the recently paused rebate pilot program, and how covered entities are navigating the temporary injunction imposed by a federal court and the uncertainty around the pilot's potential return. Joel encourages providers to prepare for the eventual return of the program, including thoroughly understanding cash flow impacts and reporting requirements.

Medicare Price Negotiation Program

Joel discusses the new Medicare price negotiation program and compares its implementation which began on January 1, with the paused rebate pilot. He describes the major differences in how each of these was approached, noting the short runway for covered entities (CEs) to prepare for the rebate pilot in contrast to the Medicare price negotiation program.

Drug Manufacturer Price Reductions

John outlines how price reductions negotiated by Medicare may impact 340B ceiling prices and the potential implications of this interplay for CE cash flow.

340B Pharmacy Management + PBM

Joel provides an overview of VytlOne's unique portfolio which includes both 340B pharmacy management services as well as a PBM offering.

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In the latest episode of our business-focused podcast 340B Leaders Upfront, host Anna Mangum sits down with two executive leaders at The Craneware Group: Chief Customer Officer Lidia Rodriguez-Hupp and Chief Transformation Officer Tara Hanuscak. Founded in 1999, The Craneware Group is a leading provider of healthcare financial performance and 340B management solutions, serving over 12,000 hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.

Key Topics Covered:

Pathways to 340B

Lidia and Tara describe their respective pathways to 340B and to The Craneware Group. Lidia outlines prior roles as a congressional aide and in various 340B provider service leadership positions. Tara outlines her 18 years rising through the ranks in pharmacy administration at OhioHealth and her leadership in 340B compliance and implementation.

Trisus Optimization Suites

Tara outlines Trisus, The Craneware Group's SaaS-based cloud platform which includes four optimization suites designed to unify financial, clinical, and operational data into one ecosystem. She details how the platform comprehensively builds out the firm's flagship chargemaster solution.

Acquisitions and AI

Lidia and Tara describe The Craneware Group's acquisition of long-time 340B industry leader Sentry Data Systems and Agilum Healthcare, and how the integration of these platforms enables 340B hospitals to manage their costs, maximize compliance, and capture revenue in supporting sustainable margins for delivering patient care. Tara outlines the firm's moves in leveraging AI, including Trisus Assist, an assistive AI capability that pairs automation with transparency to support better, faster decisions across healthcare finance and operations.

Rebate Pilot Resource Center and Contract Pharmacy Restriction Tool

Lidia raises concerns about what she sees as the disruptive and harmful impact of the rebate pilot on 340B covered entities. She previews the firm's Rebate Pilot Resource Center which enables clients to help protect cash flow challenges due to rebate recovery delays and harnessing data and documentation to defend against denials. She also provides an overview of the firm's manufacturer restriction tool, a critically important resource since the firm has the largest number of contract pharmacy networks in 340B.

340B Matters Campaign and Advocate Awards

Lidia describes the firm's 340B Matters initiative, an informational campaign launched by Sentry in 2016 to be a candid, strong voice in promoting the 340B program's importance to the public and to policymakers.

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Stay tuned for more episodes of 340B Leaders Upfront, which are posted monthly! Subscribe to 340B Leaders Upfront on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube.

Bonus: Listen to Inside 340B Report, our twice-monthly podcast, to get a behind-the-scenes window into the latest 340B news and developments from the journalists at 340B Report.

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First-time subscribers to 340B Report can use code PODCAST25 for 25% off when subscribing. Or contact us for a free 15-day trial to see why 340B Report is the indispensable source for 340B news and intelligence.

In the latest episode of our business-focused podcast 340B Leaders Upfront, host Anna Mangum sits down with Rob Ferraro, Chief Operating Officer and Principal of Ravin Consultants. A Florida-based company founded by Jennifer Lockwood in 2017, Ravin Consultants specializes in various 340B implementation and compliance matters. The growing company supports a variety of covered entity (CE) types in key dimensions of 340B, including enrollment, implementation, compliance, and optimization.

Key Topics Covered:

Pharmacy Career Focus

Rob describes his education in pharmacy and his roles in a variety of settings including CVS Health, HCA Healthcare, MailMeds and TrellisRx, culminating in being one of the first hires at Ravin Consultants.

340B Specialty

Rob outlines Ravin Consultants' strategic decision to focus on 340B, and the four key areas where it provides services: enrollment, implementation, compliance, and optimization. He describes the unique experience and skill sets that distinguishes the team ("Ravineers"), including their deep roots in the 340B program and their 340B ACE certification.

Keeping the Lights On - And More

Rob shares several inspiring success stories of supporting clients in securing 340B savings which enabled them to provide much-needed services to vulnerable populations. One client was not only able to keep the lights on but add a mobile unit to reach more underserved patients in their community. Another was able to use their savings to enable patients to qualify for medical insurance so they could receive Hepatitis C treatment.

Rebate Pilot and Contract Pharmacy Challenges

Rob outlines how Ravin Consultants deploys its 340B dashboard to help clients analyze the impact of the soon to be launched rebate pilot and contract pharmacy restrictions, and determine actions that may be needed, such as establishing an in-house pharmacy.

Protecting 340B

Rob encourages CEs to actively participate in advocacy efforts, including reaching out to lawmakers with compelling stories about how 340B enables them to support their communities.

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Stay tuned for more episodes of 340B Leaders Upfront, which are posted monthly! Subscribe to 340B Leaders Upfront on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube.

Bonus: Listen to Inside 340B Report, our twice-monthly podcast, to get a behind-the-scenes window into the latest 340B news and developments from the journalists at 340B Report.

Special Offer for New 340B Report Subscribers

First-time subscribers to 340B Report can use code PODCAST25 for 25% off when subscribing. Or contact us for a free 15-day trial to see why 340B Report is the indispensable source for 340B news and intelligence.