October Term 2010 · Docket 09-1273
Can hospitals sue drug makers for 340B price violations?
Hospitals claim drug makers broke price deals. Makers say no private lawsuit exists.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Ms. Blatt argued hospitals lack a cause of action to sue.
Ms. Anders argued the program is regulatory, not contractual.
justice_questions
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-5
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests if a federal drug pricing deal creates a private right to sue.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 19, 2011.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
Hospitals want to sue drug makers for price violations.
Drug makers want to block private lawsuits over prices.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
What each side says
Hospitals argue the deal creates a private right to sue.
Drug makers argue the deal is a regulatory scheme, not a contract.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
What the justices asked
Justice Kennedy asked if the government assessed penalties before the statute changed.
Justice Roberts asked if this case differs from typical federal-state agreements.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-5
Why it matters
This dispute determines if hospitals can enforce drug prices directly. It shapes how federal pricing programs operate. It affects hospital budgets and drug costs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-5
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 3-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 3-31
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.