340B Leaders Upfront Podcast: AI & Automation Perspectives in 340B

Inside the Conversation

Last week, our Founder and CEO Joy Liu, and SVP of Pharmacy Tim L’Hommedieu joined Anna Mangum on the 340B Leaders Upfront podcast hosted by 340B Report. In the episode, they shared their personal journeys into healthcare, lessons from the front lines of pharmacy operations, and how Plenful is supporting Covered Entities (CEs) during a time of increasing administrative complexity and policy change.

Check out the full episode below on YouTube, and read on for some of our favorite takeaways:

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Building with Focus: How Plenful Supports 340B Teams

Plenful was founded with a clear mission to eliminate manual work in healthcare operations so teams can spend more time focused on care delivery and less time on paperwork.

On the podcast, Tim walked through Plenful’s 340B Audit & Optimization Suite, which helps CEs:

• Automate 100% of 340B eligible claims using configurable rules-based engines to flag risk for staff attention, while supporting a healthy compliance posture.
• Identify missed opportunities by screening 340B claims that were accidentally marked ineligible by third-party software and processes. Tim shared how a large Midwestern academic medical center recaptured over $2M in missed savings within four weeks of going live with Plenful. ‍
• Streamline reporting and data submission, including ESP, state-level, and new data requirements as proposed by the 340B Rebate Model Pilot.

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Preparing for the Rebate Model: Automation is Key

HRSA’s 340B Rebate Model Pilot, proposed for January 1, 2026, introduces new complexities for Covered Entities. For the 10 drugs on the CMS Medicare Drug Price Negotiation List, 340B teams will be required to purchase at a higher list price and then submit claims to manufacturers for post-purchase rebates.

This shift creates cash flow strain, reconciliation challenges, and administrative workload. With the accelerated timeline, CEs have little opportunity to prepare before the pilot begins. For many organizations, this rebate model could create significant financial strain, as CEs are required to “float” the incremental acquisition costs until reimbursement is received.

Tim emphasized a few process changes that CEs will need to prepare for:

• Identify the 340B-eligible claims across your systems
• Submit all manufacturer-required data fields accurately, every time (if inaccurate, delays could occur as data is revised and resubmitted)
• Reconcile incoming rebate payments with your submissions to ensure nothing is missed or underpaid

Plenful is building a full rebate management solution to help 340B teams ensure timely reimbursement and avoid underpayment errors. For more on how we’re helping CEs navigate this change, read our blog: Preparing for the 340B Rebate Model Pilot.

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Why AI Needs Transparency and Healthcare Expertise

AI can dramatically accelerate administrative workflows, particularly in areas like intake processing and prior authorization. We see vendors talk about AI like it's magic, but it's important to understand exactly how it works.

Not all AI is created equal and unfortunately there's no shortage of companies selling big promises with little transparency about what the technology is actually doing behind the scenes.

Tim offered practical advice for evaluating AI vendors:

• Demand transparency: Ask, how does the AI model work? How does the AI make decisions? Where does human oversight exist?
• Validate the feedback loops: Ask, what are the feedback loops? How does your data get used to make the model smarter? Good AI and automation tools get better (and smarter) over time. This "fine-tuning" maximizes performance specific to your organization and enables continuous improvement.
• Insist on healthcare expertise: Even the best AI technology won't deliver if your vendor partner doesn't understand pharmacy workflow, the data sources, and regulatory complexities. 340B is a great example of this.

Joy echoed this, emphasizing that Plenful’s team includes veterans from EHRs, specialty pharmacy, and 340B integrators, people who understand pharmacy's nuances and how to translate your pain points into high-impact technology solutions.

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Advice for 340B Stakeholders Navigating Change

As policy, complexity, and expectations evolve, Joy offered this closing advice to 340B leaders:

“Choose a partner who isn’t just selling a product. Choose someone with a proven solution, best-in-class technology teams, and deep healthcare domain knowledge who can really serve as your strategic partner. This next phase of 340B demands it.”

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Staying Connected

Want to learn how Plenful can optimize your 340B program? Let’s talk.

For additional guidance on selecting AI vendors, check out Tim's article on Becker's Hospital Review, How to Vet AI Partners: A Pharmacy Leader’s Playbook.