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Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Drug maker sues over new North Dakota pharmaceutical law
A pharmacy manager retrieves a bottle of antibiotics. (Photo by) North Dakota is being sued over a new law that requires drug manufacturers to sell more of their medications at a discount. House Bill 1473, signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong in April, primarily affects drug companies participating in a federal program called 340B. A drug manufacturer has filed suit over the policy in North Dakota federal court, claiming it is unconstitutional and will hurt its profits. The state denies the company's claims. The 340B program was created by Congress in 1992 to improve health care access in low-income communities. It requires participating drug companies to offer discounted products to qualifying hospitals and other medical facilities. Drug companies must take part in 340B in order to participate in federal Medicaid and Medicare programs. In legislative hearings, proponents of the bill called 340B a critical program for rural North Dakota, subsidizing medication for patients and allowing hospitals to provide a wider range of services. 'This is a lifeblood to rural facilities across the state,' Rep. Jon Nelson, a Rugby Republican and bill sponsor, said during a February committee meeting. North Dakota this year became one of a handful of states to pass a law limiting drug manufacturers' freedom to decide where and how they sell 340B drugs. House Bill 1473 makes it a class B misdemeanor for companies to adopt policies that 'deny, restrict, prohibit, or otherwise interfere' with pharmacies' ability to obtain and dispense products to patients on behalf of 340B hospitals. In testimony on the proposal, hospital representatives complained that drug companies were cutting off access to medications subsidized through 340B, namely by refusing to sell the drugs to more than one pharmacy hospitals work with. In an April complaint filed against North Dakota, drug company AbbVie argued that Congress intended for manufacturers to be able to set additional requirements for 340B hospitals to access their products — so long as the medications are offered at the reduced costs mandated by the program. The company alleges that pharmacies and hospitals are taking advantage of the 340B program by selling the discounted medications at full price. Barring drug manufacturers from placing additional parameters on these sales will only harm the low-income patients the program is intended to benefit, AbbVie wrote in its complaint. In testimony in favor of House Bill 1473, hospital and pharmacy representatives said that the real reason drug companies are reluctant to sell discounted drugs to more pharmacies is because they want to sell their medication at list price at as many places as possible. AbbVie also alleges that North Dakota is trying to use a state law to change a federal program, which they say is a violation of the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause. Any changes to how 340B operates must be approved by Congress, the company argues. They claim that federal law makes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the sole agency in charge of enforcing 340B compliance, leaving no room for state policies like House Bill 1473. The company further argues that the law is an illegal attempt to regulate business in other states. Since some North Dakota hospitals have agreements with pharmacies across state lines, House Bill 1473 could affect transactions between out-of-state drug companies and pharmacies — which AbbVie says is unconstitutional. According to the company, the law also violates rights protected under the Fifth Amendment by forcing it to sell its property to a private party. Companies found in violation of the new law, which takes effect Aug. 1, could face 30 days in jail, a maximum fine of $1,500, or both. The North Dakota Board of Pharmacy can also impose civil penalties on violators, according to testimony on the bill. AbbVie has asked a federal judge to declare House Bill 1473 unconstitutional and to order that North Dakota cannot enforce it. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courts across the country have ruled differently on this issue. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and Third Circuit Court of Appeals have both ruled the 340B program does not prevent drug companies from imposing additional requirements on hospitals and pharmacies, the drug manufacturer noted in court filings. However, the Eighth Circuit in 2024 upheld an Arkansas law similar to House Bill 1473. The Arkansas law makes it illegal for drug companies to prevent hospitals from using pharmacies to get 340B drugs into the hands of patients. The Eighth Circuit includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Summer highway construction season is here. What to know about Missouri road projects
Aside from serving as the unofficial kickoff to summer, Memorial Day also serves as a kickoff to the summer highway construction season in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Transportation is warning motorists to expect delays as several projects are either already underway or will start this summer. "We're working to deliver more improvements to the state's transportation system than ever, and we need everyone's help to keep our highway workers — and each of us who use the roads — safe in that effort," said State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer Jon Nelson. "Your cooperation and decisions behind the wheel could be the reason a family gets home safely — including your own. Buckle up, put your phone down, slow down, and drive sober this summer, especially in work zones." MoDOT notes 10 people were killed and 83 were seriously injured in crashes over the Memorial Day holiday last year, and officials are aiming for zero fatalities this year. Information on road construction, lane closures, and delays is available through MoDOT's Traveler Information Map. Major projects to be aware of include: Northwest Missouri: Interstate 29 in Atchison County is narrowed to one lane in each direction for repairs to the north and southbound Mill Creek bridges between Mound City and Corning. Northeast Missouri: Interstate 72 and U.S. Highway 36 in Marion County has both east and westbound lanes narrowed to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction from Missouri Route 79 to Illinois Route 106 for bridge rehabilitation work on the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River in Hannibal. A full closure begins May 30 for up to 30 days. Kansas City area: Interstate 435 in Clay County has closed left northbound and southbound lanes from Parvin Rd. to 48th St. for bridge rehabilitation until approximately Dec. 1, meaning a new traffic configuration is in place on I-435. Central Missouri: Multiple projects are underway as part of the Improve I-70 Columbia to Kingdom City project. Interstate 70 eastbound between mile markers 137 and 144 (Route J to Route M) is shifted with narrow lanes, and the ramps to and from Route J at Exit 137 are closed; U.S. Highway 63 south of I-70 in Columbia is narrowed to one lane each direction between the Broadway overpass and the Conley Road underpass. Jefferson City: Multiples bridges in Jefferson City are undergoing rehabilitation projects. Projects are along U.S. Highway 54, which is narrowed to one lane in each direction from just south of Missouri Boulevard to just south of Stadium Boulevard. St. Louis area: There are multiple projects in the St. Louis area. Work began in mid-March to add a third lane on Interstate 64 in St. Charles County between Route K and the I-70/I-64 interchange, part of the Improve I-70 Warrenton to Wentzville section. Motorists traveling in both directions of I-64 will notice crews working behind barrier walls on the median between Route K and Lake Saint Louis Boulevard this summer. I-64 lanes will be narrowed slightly, and the speed limit will be reduced in this work zone. Additionally, the westbound I-64 Boone Bridge over the Missouri River is undergoing routine major maintenance. Median crossovers are on both sides of the Missouri River, and two westbound I-64 lanes are on the eastbound I-64 bridge, separated by a barrier wall. The outside auxiliary lanes will be closed in each direction, but three eastbound and westbound lanes will remain open through this work, scheduled to be completed by the winter. Southwest Missouri: Interstate 44 corridor upgrades are underway in Springfield between Kansas Expressway and U.S. Highway 65, and U.S. 65 widening is underway in Christian County. Some narrowed lanes may be present in these work zones. I-44 bridge rehabilitation work in Joplin at Missouri Routes 86/43 (Exit 6) has westbound I-44 traffic split with one lane (right) open and one lane (left) head-to-head in eastbound lanes. Both westbound and eastbound on-ramps are closed. Southeast Missouri: Missouri Route 74 will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction as construction crews perform maintenance on the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, which is located across the Mississippi River between Cape Girardeau, Missouri and East Cape Girardeau, Illinois. Work is underway and will continue through November 2025. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: These Missouri highway projects are under construction this summer
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers expand free school meals in North Dakota after rejecting larger proposal
Students eat lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School in Fargo on Jan. 22, 2025. (Dan Koeck/For the North Dakota Monitor) A day after rejecting free school meals for all North Dakota K-12 students, House members on Tuesday slightly increased the number of students who qualify for free lunch. Within House Bill 1013, the budget bill for the Department of Public Instruction, students from families within 225% of the federal poverty line would be eligible for free lunch. That's an increase from 200% of the poverty line that was funded in the 2023 session. At 225%, a family of four with an income of about $72,000 would qualify for free lunches. A public opinion poll earlier this year by the North Dakota News Cooperative showed strong public support for free school meals but the House on Monday voted down a bill to spend $140 million to pay for the meals. 'I know our emails have been blasted in the last week or so and on this, and I think we need to respond in some fashion, and this is the best thing I've seen so far,' Rep. Jon Nelson, R-Rugby, said during a meeting Tuesday of the House Appropriations Committee as it amended the bill. The House later approved the amended education bill on a 72-17 vote, with little discussion of school meals. The bill goes to the Senate. Free school lunch advocates call on Legislature to act As legislators have discussed free school meals bills this session, there have been questions about why the federal school meals program doesn't get more use. The 2023 expansion of the program provided $6 million to make more students eligible but only about half got used. The state education budget includes $4.5 million for the program this session. The state program provided free lunches to students who qualify for reduced-price lunch at the federal level, with the state making up the difference. Some families not eligible for the federal program also were covered by the state. Children from families with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture that operates the program. Those with incomes between 130% and 185% of the federal poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals. Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, said Tuesday that at 200%, that's about the median income in North Dakota but the participation appears well below that, in part because it requires filling out a form. 'That parent has got to want to fill out the paperwork,' Murphy said. The Together for School Meals coalition, a group of more than 75 organizations, has been advocating for funding free school meals. 'While this is a step in the right direction, we strongly encourage the Legislature to continue seeking avenues to ensure every child in North Dakota has access to free breakfast and lunch at school,' coalition member Amy Jacobson said in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Missouri sees record number of pedestrian deaths in 2024
ST. LOUIS – The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a record number of pedestrian deaths in 2024 in a press release last week. According to the release from Feb. 4, 148 pedestrians were hit and killed, a 16% increase from 2023—the highest number reported in the state. 'We still have a lot of work to do in Missouri, and we are especially concerned by the rising number of pedestrian fatalities in our state,' said Jon Nelson, State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer. 'We all have a responsibility to use the transportation system in a safe manner, and both drivers and pedestrians can make safe choices to help make this happen.' MSHP reported that a significant percentage of those deaths were caused by individuals exiting their vehicles due to a prior collision or car breakdown on the side of the road. In 2024, 133 motorcyclists were killed on Missouri roadways—a decrease of 23%, according to preliminary numbers, marking the lowest number of motorcyclist deaths since the all-ride helmet law was repealed in 2020. ESPN's top baseball writer sounds alarm on Cardinals' stagnant offseason The release reports that distracted driving, most particularly via cell phones, has been a consequential factor in relation to vehicular fatalities, contributing to more than 100 deaths in 2023 and 2024. The Siddens-Bening Law, implemented in Aug. 2023, prohibits drivers from holding handheld electronic devices. The press release noted a positive effect since its implementation. 'Although we have seen a small decrease in fatal crashes in the state in 2024, it is important to remember that our work is not finished,' Missouri State Highway Patrol Colonel Mike Turner said. 'Preventing roadway fatalities begins with drivers remaining vigilant and conscientious about their driving habits by wearing their seatbelts, obeying the speed limit, and paying full attention to their surroundings while driving.' Show-Me Zero, the state's strategic highway plan, serves as a safe system for Missourians to lower the chances of fatalities through education, personal responsibility, and more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
