IHA Submits Comments on HRSA 340B Rebate Pilot
On Sept. 2, IHA
submitted comments on the
application process for the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program (HRSA-2025-14998). IHA is very concerned that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) pilot program was conceived without input from 340B hospitals or other covered entities. While the program is optional for drug companies, providers contracting with those drug companies that choose to participate will be required to participate. Despite this lack of stakeholder collaboration, HRSA is moving forward with the pilot program, which will utilize a rebate model for
10 drugs.
Our comments focus on the need for specific and rigorous program oversight and enforcement from HRSA. This rebate program essentially requires 340B covered entities to float large sums of money to wealthy drug companies, putting providers at risk under a program that was designed to provide more financial resources to hospitals and providers treating a disproportionate share of low-income and underserved individuals.
IHA encourages all 340B hospitals to submit comments detailing their concerns with this rebate pilot program. Comments can be submitted electronically, and HRSA has extended the deadline for comments to Sept. 8, 2025. More information on the program can be found on HRSA’s
website.
Healthcare Staffing Strategy: Emerging Trends in 2025
From remote staffing solutions to artificial intelligence (AI), emerging healthcare staffing trends can guide workforce strategy around filling critical roles, addressing burnout and meeting employee expectations. A recent blog post from
IHA Strategic Partner Medical Solutions pinpoints the year’s top staffing trends to help hospitals and health systems stay competitive.
- Flexible work options are here to stay;
- Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics are revolutionizing staffing;
- Remote healthcare staffing solutions can address staff shortages and expand care to underserved areas;
- Healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to managed services providers (MSPs); and
- Temporary-to-permanent staffing models are gaining traction.
Of note, Medical Solutions says flexible staffing models are needed to meet workforce expectations and build more resilient, satisfied, and sustainable clinical teams; integrating AI into healthcare staffing can achieve greater efficiency and reduce administrative burdens; remote staffing allows hospitals to tap into a broader talent pool; and temporary-to-permanent staffing helps mitigate hiring risks.
IDPH to Establish Vaccine Recommendations
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) said Friday it plans to release its own COVID-19 and other vaccine guidance for the upcoming fall respiratory season. An
open letter from Director Sameer Vohra said that, “the upcoming fall respiratory season requires new, updated analysis, and we are creating a process that is deliberately focused on credibility, transparency, and the latest evidence-informed practices.” This guidance, which is to be released by the end of September, will be an update to IDPH’s
initial recommendations issued in June.
In his letter, Director Vohra said the Department is “currently reviewing national and state data, as well as seeking guidance from medical specialty societies, state and national experts, other states, and our own Immunization Advisory Committee (IAC).” Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will also be considered by IDPH once it is delivered, in conjunction with many other sources, before providing its own specific guidance. More information on immunizations and IDPH’s initiatives can be found
here.
Recent FDA Medical Class I Recalls
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently said
it is aware that Integra LifeSciences is recalling the Extended Tip Applicator because the product may have high levels of harmful substances and may not have gone through a fully documented sterilization process to ensure it is safe to use. The FDA on Friday
also said that Ambu Inc. is recalling the SPUR II resuscitator due to the manometer port being blocked, which renders the manometer non-functional.
Additionally, the FDA on Friday sent a
notification to alert medical providers and the public to Hamilton Medical, Inc.’s recall of certain lots of coaxial breathing sets. Another
FDA alert was sent Friday regarding Abbott Medical’s recall of the power cord for the Mobile Power Unit (MPU), a power accessory of the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular System (LVAS) and HeartMate II Left LVAS. Abbott is recommending removal of impacted cords but not recommending removal of the MPU from the field at this time because the issue is related solely to the cord and not the MPU itself.
There have been no reported injuries or deaths related to any of these issues at this time.
