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340binformed.org Your Free Source for 340B News and Commentary Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:17:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 An In-Depth Look at Total 340B Purchases /2024/02/an-in-depth-look-at-total-340b-purchases/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:17:54 +0000 /?p=9805 Print Article The federal government recently released information on the total purchases that hospitals, health centers, and clinics made through the 340B drug pricing program in 2022. The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) reported that these purchases reached $53.7 billion, meaning 340B covered entities spent $9.8 billion more on 340B drugs than they did in 2021. This release provided an opportunity to take a closer look at why that figure increased. Putting 340B Purchases in Perspective In addition to understanding the drivers behind the 340B purchase figures, it is important to understand what the HRSA totals mean. The purchase totals pertain to the tens of billions of dollars that drug companies take into their coffers for selling 340B-eligible drugs. They do not quantify how much hospitals received in savings for those discounted drugs, as implied by some drug industry critics of 340B. It is not at all a given that an increase in the amount of 340B purchases translates into a corresponding increase in 340B savings. The 340B value depends on both the price of each drug and the 340B discount for that drug. These are factors that hinge on whether a drug is brand-name or generic, how the drugmaker has hiked prices over time, and what drug discounts the company has offered other payers. With the understanding of how 340B purchases differ from discounts, one can turn to the key reasons why drugmakers are selling more of these drugs each year. A Continued Shift Toward Outpatient Care A major element behind total 340B drug purchases has nothing to do with how hospitals use 340B. Instead, it reflects a continued shift away from providing hospital care in the inpatient setting. In recent years, hospital outpatient revenue exceeded inpatient revenue for the first time. This was the latest development in a trend that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other research notes that the shift toward outpatient care – and the use of 340B-eliglble drugs that go along with it – are due to several key reasons. They include advances in outpatient care and technology, changes in reimbursement for care, and patient preferences. High Prices for New Drugs Other big drivers of 340B purchases are the often-astronomical prices that drugmakers set for new products that they are bringing to market. High prices are an issue because the 340B discount for new brand-name drugs is 23.1%, meaning hospitals are paying more than three-quarters of those starting prices. Drugs that have been on the market for years and have undergone large price hikes have deeper 340B discounts. A recent study found that net launch prices for new drugs skyrocketed from a median of $1,376 in 2008 to $159,042 in 2021. Recent launch prices for individual drugs have been so high in several cases that they have generated nationwide media coverage. Many of these new products are drugs that are infused or injected in the hospital outpatient setting, which make them 340B-eligible for hospitals that qualify. That contributes to total 340B purchases beyond any additional uptake of drugs that have been on the market for years. The Rise of Specialty Drugs Increasing numbers of patients are being prescribed specialty drugs to treat their diseases and conditions. These drugs often come with special handling requirements and more complex instructions. They also often come with very high price tags. Those high price tags have helped drive 340B drug spending because the mix of drugs that providers prescribe is rapidly shifting toward specialty drugs. These include some of the costliest products to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disorders, and other complex diseases. When 340B first came into being in 1992, virtually no specialty drugs existed. Data show that by 2010 they made up 27% of pharmaceutical spending, and by 2022 that figure was a whopping 51%. In the decade from 2012 to 2022, spending on specialty drugs grew from $81 billion to $219 billion. Massive uptake in the use of just a few blockbuster drugs can move the needle rapidly on the amount spent on 340B drugs. 340B Health calculations of pricing data demonstrate that just five specialty drugs introduced within the past decade (Keytruda, Darzalex, Dupixent, Biktarvey, and Trikafta) alone accounted for a $2.3 billion increase in 340B purchases from 2019 to 2020. ]]> Ideas for 340B Changes Could Lead to Legislation /2023/12/ideas-for-340b-changes-could-lead-to-legislation/ Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:28:45 +0000 /?p=9751 Print Article Amid complaints about unilateral drug company restrictions on the 340B drug pricing program and mounting pressure from industry-backed advocates for even more 340B changes to favor drugmakers, a bipartisan group of six U.S. senators have taken a proactive step by asking for ideas to ensure “stability” for 340B. This move came in the form of a request for information (RFI) that prompted a raft of responses. Some of the feedback could form the basis for legislation to amend 340B and possibly set the stage for a comprehensive discussion on its future. Those ideas include several proposals by 340B hospitals and other covered entities to strengthen 340B. Also in the mix, however, are proposals by the pharmaceutical industry and its allies that would reduce 340B benefits for providers. The RFI is from six longtime supporters of 340B, Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.). Several of the senators have been critical of the actions of a group of drug companies that have been limiting hospitals’ ability to partner with community and specialty pharmacies to deliver discounted drugs to their patients. The senators’ stated goal is to focus on both “stability and oversight” of 340B. Hospitals and Pharmacists United In response, 340B Health offered a series of proposals to strengthen 340B and protect it against the harmful actions of drug companies. These include: Restoring the 340B benefit for drugs dispensed through community and specialty pharmacies and prohibiting drug companies from imposing conditions that restrict 340B. Allowing covered entities the ability to directly challenge unlawful drug company 340B restrictions or conditions in federal courts. Prohibiting discriminatory policies by payers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for drugs that 340B hospitals administer or dispense to their patients. Prohibiting states from mandating that providers use or do not use 340B drugs for Medicaid patients. Eliminating statutory provisions that increase drug costs for hospitals, such as the orphan drug loophole and group purchasing organization (GPO) prohibition. 340B Health urged the lawmakers to reject proposals to impose unnecessary and burdensome reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. It asked the senators to encourage the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), which administers 340B, to exercise its existing authority to conduct greater 340B oversight over drug companies and wholesalers, including through more frequent audits and by fully operationalizing the 340B administrative dispute resolution (ADR) process. Finally, 340B Health urged Congress to include protections against HRSA taking any administrative actions to narrow the scope of 340B. Similar comments went to the six senators from such 340B advocates as the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), America’s Essential Hospitals (AEH), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Catholic Health Association of the United States, and the Children’s Hospital Association. Drug Industry Attacks Given its multi-year, multi-million-dollar campaign to weaken 340B, it was not surprising that the drug industry and its allies weighed in with proposals to shrink the scope of 340B and exclude many hospitals and their patients from its benefits. The Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) said in its comments that it believes 340B should serve a much narrower purpose than Congress intended. The group says Congress should limit 340B to helping “low-income, uninsured, and other vulnerable patients obtain the outpatient medicines they need,” the letter states. This proposal is contrary to the expressed intentions of Congress when it debated and approved the 340B statute in 1992. In a committee report during that process, Congress said the purpose of 340B was to “stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.” As a federal judge explained in a recent 340B court decision: “340B entities are able to stretch these scarce Federal resources because they receive their drugs at a discount and are reimbursed by insurers at the non-discounted price of the drug… . This allows 340B entities to provide more services to a larger population of under-served patients.” To reduce the scope of 340B to fit its narrow vision, PhRMA would have Congress make the 340B definitions of a qualified hospital and a covered patient significantly more restrictive than they are today. Such changes would dramatically reduce the benefit of 340B to providers, directly impacting patient care. The law requires 340B providers to serve all patients, including those with low incomes and those living in underserved rural parts of the country. PhRMA-backed requirements for hospitals and other covered entities to pass the 340B discounts directly to patients would eliminate their ability to invest the savings into providing more comprehensive services. Other drug industry proposals include limits on hospital-pharmacy partnerships and hospital child sites as well as requirements for hospitals to report information to the government on matters unrelated to 340B, such as their provision of charity care. Drug industry partners submitted similar proposals, including groups that PhRMA funds. What Comes Next? The senators who requested these ideas have not set a timeline for next steps. RFIs can lead to hearings, congressional letters to the administration, or proposed legislation. While it is not certain that these ideas and others being considered on Capitol Hill will find their way into legislation, lawmakers might introduce such measures in the coming months. Such legislation would need bipartisan support to pass Congress and be signed into law by President Biden. ]]> Help From 340B After a Rare Diagnosis and an Unaffordable Bill /2023/11/help-from-340b-after-a-rare-diagnosis-and-an-unaffordable-bill/ Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:41:33 +0000 /?p=9739 Print Article Nov. 27, 2023— Gary Chandler was in good company when he visited Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas, because he was feeling unwell. One-quarter of patients at the health system’s three hospitals in the Wichita area are on Medicaid or are uninsured, like Chandler was when he came in. But his diagnosis was much more uncommon – aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder that can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of treatments that are out of reach for someone without health coverage. So his caregivers marshaled 340B resources to help. Ashley Martin is a clinical oncology pharmacy specialist for Ascension Via Christi Hospitals. She describes how the system used its access to 340B pricing to provide steep discounts to Gary on the infused drugs that he needed from his hematologist. Thanks to 340B, he received these lifesaving treatments for a year-and-a-half from his initial diagnosis and again after he suffered a relapse of his disease. “Without the 340B program, we would not have been able to provide the care that Mr. Chandler needed,” said Martin, who shared this patient’s story as one of our newest Faces of 340B profiles. “He is currently doing very well.” 340B Help for All Those Who Need It Chandler’s story is one of the many patient health successes that are due to the dedicated health providers at Ascension Via Christi and their ability to serve patients in need using 340B resources. These patients include not just those living in or near Wichita but those living in more rural areas that the system also serves. Patients who cannot afford their medications benefit from 340B through the system’s charity pharmacy services, which provide free medications to patients with low incomes. Patients with cystic fibrosis have dedicated pharmacist services funded in part through 340B. And through their access to 340B pricing, outpatient pharmacies located at the hospitals provide affordable medications to discharged patients who are heading home. All that 340B-supported care results in better patient adherence to medication regimens and lead to better health outcomes for those patients, Ashley said. Learn About More 340B Patient Success Stories Check out Martin’s video profile on our Faces of 340B page. For more stories about how Ascension Via Christi uses 340B to help patients in need, check out our podcast episode and our case study on the health system’s Community Cares Clinic, which provides home health services for chronically ill patients who cannot come into the hospital for their care. ]]> Research Illustrates Critical Role 340B Plays for Rural Hospitals and Patients /2023/09/research-illustrates-critical-role-340b-plays-for-rural-hospitals-and-patients/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 20:39:54 +0000 /?p=9685 Print Article Sept. 7, 2023— Recent peer-reviewed research illustrates one of the many ways 340B savings bolster the nation’s rural hospitals and the communities and patients who rely on them for care. The findings help enrich a deep and growing evidence base for the vital role 340B is playing in American health care. Researchers from the University of Arkansas and the University of Colorado published their findings in Health Affairs, one of the nation’s most respected policy journals. The researchers wanted to see whether becoming 340B-eligible led rural hospitals to add critical services to prevent and treat cancer. They focused on rural general acute care hospitals that lacked oncology services in 2011. 340B’s Support for Rural Health Congress created 340B in 1992 to help hospitals and clinics serving large percentages of low-income patients “stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.” As part of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Congress voted to expand 340B eligibility to critical access hospitals (CAHs), sole community hospitals (SCHs), and rural referral centers (RRCs), among others. Many of those types of hospitals, which tend to serve rural areas, began to enroll in 2011. To determine the impact of 340B eligibility on cancer care availability, the researchers looked at three sets of hospitals – the early adopters that enrolled between 2012 and 2015, the late adopters that enrolled in 2016-18, and those that did not enroll. The researchers found the 340B hospitals were 8.3 percentage points more likely to have added oncology services by 2020. “After 340B enrollment there was a clear and persistent increase in the probability of offering oncology services at newly participating hospitals,” the researchers write. Cancer Care Struggles in Rural America It has been well-documented in numerous published studies that the 46 million Americans who live in rural parts of the country face significant challenges when it comes to cancer care and prevention. More than 46 million Americans, or 15% of the U.S. population, live in rural areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Access to cancer care and prevention is especially vital for residents of rural communities, which are often underserved and struggle to gain access to needed care. The National Cancer Institute has found that rural residents face serious disadvantages compared to urban residents, including socioeconomic deprivation, limited access to quality health care, and risk factors for cancer. While there are many reasons for these disparities, including behavioral and environmental factors, the lack of access to cancer care and prevention is a key factor. Rural Americans must travel farther to see a cancer specialist. In fact, about one in five rural residents must travel 60 miles or more to obtain care. Because cancer care often requires multiple visits for treatment, rural cancer patients have a harder time accessing and receiving needed treatment. More Progress Needed The impact of these disparities is illustrated by research finding that while cancer incidence rates in urban and rural areas are about the same, cancer mortality rates in rural communities are statistically higher. While cancer mortality rates have been dropping in the U.S., a study looking at the annual, age-adjusted mortality rates for all types of cancer during 2006-15 found rates declined more slowly for rural parts of the country (-1.0%) than in urban areas (-1.6%). The authors of the latest study point to another factor in access to cancer care in rural America. The newly participating hospitals that added oncology services were disproportionately located in Medicaid expansion states and in counties with lower uninsurance rates. The ACA allowed states to expand Medicaid eligibility to include individuals with income up to 138% of the federal poverty line (or a little more than $20,000 a year). According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 40 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Medicaid expansion and 10 states have not. Most of the states that have not expanded eligibility for Medicaid are in the southeast quadrant of the country, which the American Cancer Society has found to have some of the highest cancer mortality rates in the country. ]]> New Research Finds No Evidence 340B Discounts Affect Prescribing /2023/06/new-research-finds-no-evidence-340b-discounts-affect-prescribing/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 18:49:55 +0000 /?p=9634 Print Article June 15, 2023— Newly published research illustrates that while 340B hospitals tend to treat patients who are sicker and in greater need of care, they do not prescribe more expensive drugs than non-340B hospitals after those differences are taken into account. The latest evidence appears in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Researchers examined Medicare Part D data for fiscal year 2020 to see if physicians in 340B-eligible hospitals were more likely to prescribe more expensive brand-name drugs versus the lower-priced generic products available on the market. After examining drugs prescribed for patients of 340B-eligible hospital providers versus those ordered by non-340B hospital prescribers, the researchers report they “found no meaningful difference in overall generic prescribing rates.” In FY 2020, generic drugs made up 86.6% of Medicare Part D prescriptions from non-340B hospital prescribers and 86.4% of Part D prescriptions from 340B-eligible hospital prescribers. But after adjusting for differences in therapeutic class mix, the figure for 340B-eligible hospital providers was 86.6% – identical to the non-340B hospital rate. The researchers looked more closely at the various classes of drugs covered by Medicare Part D and found 11 classes for which 340B-eligible prescribers had statistically significant higher generic prescribing rates and 17 classes where non-340B prescribers had statistically significant higher generic prescribing rates. In three-quarters of those cases, the differences were less than two percentage points. The researchers concluded that such variation was more evident for drug classes that are not prescribed as much, for which a difference in numbers of prescriptions translates into larger percentage-point differences. For cardiovascular agents, the drug class with the highest use, 340B-eligible prescribers had a 95.9% generic prescribing rate compared to 95.7% for non-340B prescribers. Important Data for Policymakers This new research is critically important as policymakers on Capitol Hill debate proposals to restrict the size of 340B. One of the arguments frequently put forward in favor of such legislation is that 340B hospitals have a financial incentive to prescribe branded drugs when a less expensive generic product is available. Under the 340B statute, eligible covered entities can purchase outpatient drugs at a discount and use the savings to “stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.” 340B requires a minimum discount of 23.1% for outpatient brand-name drugs and 13% for generic products. Some have suggested that the higher savings for branded versus generic drugs could induce 340B hospital prescribers to favor the costlier products. An important factor in comparing 340B and non-340B hospitals is the type of patients treated by each. For example, the JAMA researchers noted 340B-eligible patients with Medicare are more likely to be dual eligible and/or disabled. Most dually eligible patients qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid because they are living with low incomes. Disabled people who are eligible for Medicare tend to be younger than the traditional group of beneficiaries who are ages 65 or older. Those differences in types of patients also are associated with differences in their health needs and the complexity of their care. A Growing Body of Evidence In January 2020, the independent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued another important report investigating these factors. MedPAC looked at the use of oncology drugs for Medicare Part B patients diagnosed with five forms of cancer (breast, colorectal, prostate, lung, and leukemia and lymphoma). They found that while there were variations in spending by 340B and non-340B hospital prescribers, they were “unable to attribute these findings to incentives created by 340B discounts.” Another study also published in JAMA confirmed that there is no drug spending difference between 340B and non-340B hospitals once beneficiary-level risk factors and hospital characteristics are taken into account. Like the new JAMA study, MedPAC’s researchers noted important differences in patient mix and hospital size. For example, they noted that 340B hospitals are more likely to be larger teaching hospitals and caring for patients who are young, disabled, and receiving assistance designated for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Together, these three reports are part of a growing body of evidence for policymakers to consider as they debate proposals to change 340B. ]]> UPDATED: Drugmakers Cutting 340B Discounts Reported Record Revenues in 2021 /2023/01/updated-drugmakers-cutting-340b-discounts-reported-record-revenues-in-2021/ Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:38:22 +0000 /?p=9545 Print Article January 13, 2023– Note: This story is updated to include information for Biogen, which announced 340B restrictions in December 2022. The 19 drug companies that have imposed restrictions on safety-net hospital access to 340B drug pricing program discounts collectively brought more than $660 billion in revenues in 2021. The banner year for the companies occurred as hospitals reported increasing losses of 340B savings from the drugmaker-imposed cuts. In February 2022, most drug companies reported their financial results for both the final quarter of 2021 and the full year, and the reports to investors contain some massive figures. 2021 Revenues for Companies Implementing 340B Cuts Johnson & Johnson$93.8 billionPfizer$81.3 billionAbbVie$56.2 billionNovartis$51.6 billionMerck$48.7 billionGlaxoSmithKline$46.8 billionBristol Myers Squibb$46.4 billionSanofi$44.6 billionAstraZeneca$37.4 billionEli Lilly$28.3 billionGilead$27.3 billionAmgen$26 billionBoehringer Ingelheim$24.3 billionNovo Nordisk$22.4 billionBiogen$11 billionUCB$6.8 billionBausch Health$4.7 billionUnited Therapeutics$1.7 billionExelixis$1.4 billionTOTAL$660.7 billion Leading the pack is Johnson & Johnson, the largest drugmaker in the world, with annual revenues approaching $100 billion. The company reported significant growth in its pharmaceutical sales last year for top-selling drugs used to treat various cancers, inflammatory diseases, and schizophrenia. Also contributing to this total figure were sales of the COVID-19 vaccine the company produced under its subsidiary Janssen. J&J’s restrictions on 340B did not take effect until May 2, so the 2021 revenue figures account for what the company brought in while offering full discounts on all eligible drugs. Pfizer was close behind J&J, bringing in a record $81.3 billion in revenue last year. This performance was driven largely by sales of Comirnaty, the COVID-19 vaccine that Pfizer and BioNTech produced jointly, and Paxlovid, the Pfizer medication for patients with COVID infections. At the same time Pfizer was preparing to release its report, the company announced it would become the 13th drugmaker to impose pricing conditions for safety-net hospitals on 340B drugs dispensed at community-based pharmacies. To continue receiving discounted prices through their community pharmacy partnerships, hospitals must hand over pharmacy patient claims data the company is demanding. The policy, which took effect March 1, targets Xeljanz, a drug used to treat certain types of arthritis, as well as 11 oral oncology drugs that the company makes for patients living with cancer. Pfizer brought in more than $2.5 billion in Xeljanz sales alone last year. Following Pfizer in the revenue column is AbbVie, which reported that it brought in more than $56 billion in 2021. This figure was driven largely by sales of the immunosuppressive medication Humira, which at more than $20 billion in net revenues is the world’s top-selling drug. AbbVie implemented its restrictive 340B policy on Feb. 1, the day before its financial report came out. The policy, which also conditions discounted pricing through community pharmacies on the submission of patient claims data, applies to a list of two dozen drugs that includes Humira. The company has warned that it might consider expanding that list to restrict access to discounts on more of its drugs. One of the newest drug companies to announce 340B restrictions is high up on the 2021 revenue list as well. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pulled in almost $47 billion last year, nearly $6 billion of which came from the sales of inhaler products used to treat patients with respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a policy that took effect April 1, GSK is targeting these respiratory drugs – including bestsellers Advair, Breo, and Ventolin – with 340B pricing restrictions for hospitals that do not turn over claims data. Cuts Are Leaving Deep Marks 340B restrictions by 10 drug companies – AbbVie, Amgen, Bausch Health, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Exelixis, Gilead, GSK, J&J, and Pfizer – did not take effect until after the start of 2022. Collectively, those companies alone brought in nearly $400 billion in revenues even while offering unrestricted 340B discounts to safety-net hospitals, health centers, and clinics. Hospitals have been reporting significant financial pain caused by the 340B restrictions. In July 2020, Eli Lilly became the first drug company to start denying discounts on drugs dispensed at community pharmacies. Those restrictions now have been in place long enough that they have been noted on numerous Lilly financial reports as a significant contributor to the company’s bottom line. Lilly reported more than $28 billion in revenues in 2021 on the strength of top sellers Trulicity, Humalog, and Jardiance. Those are diabetes drugs for which safety-net hospitals are sustaining some of their largest losses of 340B savings under drug company restrictions. The 19 restrictive policies involve many of the best-selling drugs in the world needed to treat patients with diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases, and other chronic illnesses. When a company refuses to offer a discount on one of these drugs, resources that hospitals say should be going toward the health care safety net instead shows up as part of a revenue column on these financial reports. Price Hikes, Like Clockwork As drug companies were putting the finishing touches on their earnings reports, they were also engaging in another annual tradition – price hikes. Companies typically raise prices in two batches, once at the beginning of the year and again in the middle of the year. January 2022 was no exception. The Campaign for Sustainable Drug Pricing (CSRxP), which closely monitors drug pricing and promotes policy solutions designed to lower drug prices, reported on the first batch of 2022 price hikes in January and again in July. CSRxP noted 785 such increases on brand-name drugs at the beginning of the year, with the average increase approaching 5%. The group reported a second round of increases for more than 100 brand-name drugs in the first week of July alone. Some of the more notable pricing jumps involve drug companies that are among the 19 now limiting 340B discounts. For instance, Pfizer increased its prices on more than 100 of its drugs, including a 16.8% boost on the price of the frequently prescribed drug Solu-Cortef, which treats a wide range of conditions. GSK raised prices on more than 30 of its drugs, including 7% hikes for cancer drug Zejula and anti-seizure drug Lamictal. BMS hiked the price tags on more than a dozen of its most-prescribed drugs. Gilead raised prices more than 5% on its HIV drugs Biktarvy and Descovy. Some drug companies have limited their 340B pricing restrictions only to certain drugs, but they could expand those lists at any time. The earnings reports and the news about price increases together formed another reminder that the pharmaceutical companies are the ones that determine the prices of drugs, based largely on what they expect the market will bear. Now an increasing number of companies are making themselves the ones that determine when they will grant discounts to safety-net hospitals as well. ]]> For Patients, Symptoms of Drugmaker 340B Restrictions Include Shortness of Breath, Hospitalization /2022/12/for-patients-symptoms-of-drugmaker-340b-restrictions-include-shortness-of-breath-hospitalization/ Fri, 23 Dec 2022 15:50:31 +0000 /?p=9530 Print Article Dec. 23, 2022— The examples of worsened health outcomes for patients from drug company restrictions on 340B pricing to safety-net hospitals continue to mount. At Riverside Regional Medical Center in Virginia, one discharged patient with diabetes was readmitted to the hospital within days due to delayed access to an insulin medication for which drug companies had restricted 340B pricing. Cynthia Coffey Prior to the drug company 340B restrictions, the patient paid less than $10 out of pocket for insulin he received at the hospital’s community pharmacy, according to Cynthia Coffey, Riverside’s director of retail pharmacy. Once the 340B restrictions went into effect, the patient’s out-of-pocket cost for insulin skyrocketed to $191 each time he filled his prescription at the community pharmacy located in the hospital. That price was just too much for the patient. “The patient chose to not fill the medication,” Coffey said. “Unfortunately, two days later, the patient was readmitted into the hospital due to uncontrolled blood sugars.” Coffey shared this patient’s story as one of our newest Faces of 340B profiles. The story is an example of the barriers the hospital’s patients face from 19 drug companies’ unlawful restrictions on access to 340B pricing. It is not the only example of harm that Riverside Health System’s patients have experienced from these actions. Disruptions to Medication Regimens Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital is another hospital in the Riverside Health System. Located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the hospital serves a community that is physically separated from the rest of Virginia by a bay. The only way to access the Eastern Shore by land is to travel over an 18-mile bridge/tunnel that includes a toll. The hospital also serves a high percentage of patients living with low incomes. 340B savings for Riverside Shore Memorial fund the hospital’s comprehensive oncology services, including radiation and infusion treatments. If the hospital did not offer these services, patients on the Eastern Shore would need to drive 90 minutes to access these vital services. The hospital notes that without access to 340B savings, the hospital would be at risk of closing its doors due to its razor-thin operating margins. David Jones The 340B community pharmacy restrictions have reduced these savings for Riverside Shore Memorial and harmed patient access to medications. David Jones, MD, the chief medical officer at Riverside Shore Memorial, is another of our newest Faces of 340B profiles. He notes that given the geographic barriers Eastern Shore patients face, the hospital’s 340B community pharmacy partnerships enable patients to fill their prescriptions much closer to home. This access improves medication adherence. Jones specializes in pulmonary medicine and cares for many patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). After the drug company 340B restrictions started, he saw his patients run into barriers to affording vital inhaler medications. “I have a patient with COPD and because he is underinsured, he is unable to afford the basic maintenance inhalers he needs,” Jones said. “Due to the restrictions, he was unable to obtain one of those medications that he had previously been on. As a result, he had increasing symptoms of shortness of breath, wheezing, he required additional office visits, and we had to supplement his medications with other medications that had increasing side effects and were not as effective for him.” More Emergencies on the Horizon? 340B community pharmacy partnerships are critical to Riverside Health System’s efforts to provide comprehensive care to uninsured and underinsured patients, Coffey said. Many of the patients who receive low-cost medications dispensed at Riverside Regional Medical Center’s community pharmacy cannot access the medications through drug company assistance programs. She and Jones are both concerned about what will happen to their patients if drug company restrictions on 340B pricing continue and worsen in 2023. “I feel certain that patients that have relied on these discounts to obtain the most basic of medications won’t have access to it,” Jones said. “This will result in increasing emergency department visits and most likely hospitalizations. The access to the 340B discount program is really essential.” Check out Coffey’s video profile and Jones’s video profile on our Faces of 340B video page. ]]> End to Medicare 340B Payment Cuts in Sight /2022/12/end-to-medicare-340b-payment-cuts-in-sight/ Fri, 09 Dec 2022 18:07:37 +0000 /?p=9506 Print Article Dec. 9, 2022— On Jan. 1, hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program will start off the new year with something they have not had since 2017 – full Medicare payment rates for 340B-purchased drugs. While those hospitals say the end to the cuts is welcome news, they continue to wait for repayments to remedy the nearly five years’ worth of pay cuts that many 340B hospitals have absorbed. January 2023 will mark the return to a full year of 340B hospitals receiving the same Medicare reimbursements for outpatient drugs that all hospitals receive under the outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS). Beginning in 2018, many 340B hospitals were hit with a cut of nearly 30% in Medicare Part B payments under the OPPS for drugs they purchased at 340B prices. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now restoring payments to their prior levels following a prolonged legal battle that ended with a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court agreeing the government had overstepped its authority in making the cuts. How 340B Hospitals Got Here The Trump administration put the cuts in place as part of its final OPPS rule for calendar year 2018. CMS offset the estimated $1.6 billion in annual cuts with corresponding increases in payments for non-drug services under Medicare “budget-neutrality” rules. A group of 340B hospitals and national organizations went to court to block the cuts and won an early decision in their favor. But an appeals court reversed that decision, bringing the case to the Supreme Court. In June 2022, the high court unanimously decided that the pay cuts were indeed unlawful. In July, CMS announced in a proposed rule that it intended to end the cut and restore full outpatient drug pay rates starting Jan. 1, 2023. A lower federal court ordered the current payment cuts to end immediately, a change that CMS implemented in late September. On Nov. 1, the government issued a final rule setting Medicare outpatient payment rates for 2023 and confirming the cuts would end. “We are very pleased to see that CMS has restored equity to the Medicare outpatient prospective payment system,” 340B Health President and CEO Maureen Testoni said in a statement. “For 30 years, 340B has supported hospitals in serving patients living with low incomes, and full Medicare payments for those services are essential for the health care safety net.” The latest development also is likely to have wider benefits for 340B hospitals beyond what they receive from Medicare for drugs they purchase. Private insurance plans often follow Medicare’s lead when setting their own payment rates. Medicare’s elimination of the differential payments eliminates a major precedent that private payers had been citing for imposing discriminatory payment rates of their own on 340B hospitals. Undoing Past 340B Cuts The official change in Medicare rules to restore the full statutory payment rates to 340B hospitals does not settle the issue of providing remedies for past cuts. When the Supreme Court decided those cuts were unlawful, it obligated CMS officials to find a way to provide relief for hospitals that had been affected by the reduced payments. 340B Health and other hospital advocates are calling for lump-sum repayments of all losses, plus interest, to hospitals for the additional amounts they should have received since 2018 had the unlawful cuts not been in effect. These comments note that CMS officials can make those repayments on a hospital-by-hospital basis without adjusting payment rates for any other outpatient services. It is not clear when the government and hospitals will resolve the repayment question. In its final 2023 OPPS rule, CMS pledged to devise a plan through a separate rulemaking process, which is expected to take months to unfold. The government says it plans to propose a remedy, consider public comments, and issue a final rule sometime next year. As 340B hospitals await clarity on how they might be repaid for Medicare cuts, they are preparing for another year of caring for patients in need. This time, they are doing so with the knowledge that they will be paid at the same level as all other hospitals for their drug purchases. ]]> 340B Helps Replace Emergency Care with Coordinated Care /2022/11/340b-helps-replac

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Совет регионального единства Свердловской области Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:28:03 +0000 ru-RU hourly 1 Результаты ЕГЭ по математике будут опубликованы не позднее 23 июня /incidents-news/rezultaty-ege-po-matematike-budut-opublikovany-ne-pozdnee-23-iyunya/ /incidents-news/rezultaty-ege-po-matematike-budut-opublikovany-ne-pozdnee-23-iyunya/#respond Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:28:03 +0000 /incidents-news/rezultaty-ege-po-matematike-budut-opublikovany-ne-pozdnee-23-iyunya/ Математика является одним из двух обязательных предметов для получения аттестата о среднем общем образовании. Традиционно экзамен проводится по двум уровням, и выпускники выбирают подходящий вариант в зависимости от своих дальнейших планов. Базовый уровень необходим для получения аттестата и поступления […] The post Результаты ЕГЭ по математике будут опубликованы не позднее 23 июня first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> Математика является одним из двух обязательных предметов для получения аттестата о среднем общем образовании. Традиционно экзамен проводится по двум уровням, и выпускники выбирают подходящий вариант в зависимости от своих дальнейших планов. Базовый уровень необходим для получения аттестата и поступления на гуманитарные направления вузов, где математика не включена в перечень вступительных испытаний. На выполнение работы отводится 3 часа. Как сообщили в региональном Минобразования, официальные результаты ЕГЭ по математике будут опубликованы не позднее 23 июня. Выпускники смогут узнать свои баллы в школах либо на официальном портале Рособрнадзора.The post Результаты ЕГЭ по математике будут опубликованы не позднее 23 июня first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/rezultaty-ege-po-matematike-budut-opublikovany-ne-pozdnee-23-iyunya/feed/ 0 На Урале ожидается резкий приток мигрантов с начала осени 2026 года, — эксперт Дмитрий Куницын /economics/na-urale-ozhidaetsya-rezkij-pritok-migrantov-s-nachala-oseni-2026-goda-ekspert-dmitrij-kunitsyn/ /economics/na-urale-ozhidaetsya-rezkij-pritok-migrantov-s-nachala-oseni-2026-goda-ekspert-dmitrij-kunitsyn/#respond Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:14:23 +0000 /?p=126825 С начала осени 2026 года на Урале может начаться резкий приток мигрантов, предупреждает эксперт по миграционной политике Дмитрий Куницын. По его словам, совокупность геополитических, экономических и административных факторов создаёт предпосылки для масштабного перемещения людей в регионе. Эксперт подчёркивает: это не […] The post На Урале ожидается резкий приток мигрантов с начала осени 2026 года, — эксперт Дмитрий Куницын first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> С начала осени 2026 года на Урале может начаться резкий приток мигрантов, предупреждает эксперт по миграционной политике Дмитрий Куницын. По его словам, совокупность геополитических, экономических и административных факторов создаёт предпосылки для масштабного перемещения людей в регионе. Эксперт подчёркивает: это не обязательно означает хаотичный или неконтролируемый наплыв, но региону придётся оперативно адаптировать социальную, экономическую и инфраструктурную политику к новым реалиям. Одной из ключевых причин, по мнению Куницына, станет изменение миграционных потоков в соседних регионах и странах. В течение 2026 года ужесточение контроля и экономические трудности в ряде центральных и южных областей подтолкнули части трудовых мигрантов к поиску альтернативных маршрутов и рабочих мест. Урал, оставаясь относительно промышленно развитым регионом с большим спросом на трудовые ресурсы в строительстве, сельском хозяйстве и добывающих отраслях, выглядит привлекательной целью. Кроме того, сезонный фактор — увеличение строительных проектов и подготовка к зиме — увеличит спрос именно с наступлением осени. Второй важный фактор — изменения в транспортной логистике и правовом регулировании. В 2026 году были отмечены новые маршруты перемещения людей через границы и внутри страны, которые сделали Урал более доступным для приезжих. Одновременно предпринимались административные меры в ряде городов, сокращающие пособия или ограничивающие легальность занятости мигрантов, что может вызвать их смещение в регионы, где правила мягче или проще получить работу «в полях». Куницын говорит, что даже небольшие корректировки в миграционном законодательстве соседних субъектов способны вызвать каскадный эффект: мигранты перемещаются туда, где легче устроиться и выжить. Социально-экономические последствия такого притока многообразны. С одной стороны, приток рабочей силы способен временно подстегнуть деятельность строительных фирм, садоводческих хозяйств и предприятий сферы услуг, снизить дефицит кадров и помочь завершить проекты в более сжатые сроки. Наличие дополнительных работников может также удержать цены на некоторые услуги от ещё более резкого роста и обеспечить доступность сезонных работ для местных работодателей. С другой стороны, резкий наплыв без заранее подготовленной инфраструктуры и координации может создать напряжение. Появятся вопросы с жильём, медицинским обслуживанием, доступом к образованию для детей мигрантов и оплатой коммунальных услуг. Если мигранты будут размещаться в частном секторе или временных лагерях, это может привести к росту потребления коммунальных ресурсов и увеличению нагрузки на местные сети. Дисбаланс между спросом и предложением социальных услуг неизбежно вызовет политические дискуссии и местные протестные настроения, если власти не предложат системных решений. Ключевой для минимизации негативных последствий эксперт называет превентивную работу региональных властей и бизнеса. Необходимо заранее оценить потребности рынка труда и составить планы по размещению и интеграции приезжих. В идеале — создать прозрачные платформы для трудоустройства и информацию на разных языках, чтобы работодатели могли быстро находить проверенных работников, а мигранты — законные и безопасные вакансии. Также важно усилить сотрудничество с некоммерческими организациями и инициативами, которые оказывают первичную помощь: юридические консультации, медобслуживание, языковые курсы. Особое внимание, по словам Куницына, нужно уделить легализации трудовых отношений. Если мигранты будут работать «в тени», это подрывает налоговую базу и создаёт условия для эксплуатации и ухудшения условий труда. Легальные механизмы трудоустройства обеспечивают права работников, позволяют контролировать качество выполнения работ и повышают общую стабильность рынка труда. Для работодателей это означает меньшие репутационные риски и более предсказуемые издержки. Не менее важен аспект безопасности и общественного порядка. Массовое перемещение людей всегда требует координации правоохранительных органов, миграционных служб и муниципалитетов. Прозрачные проверки и регистрация — это не только про контроль, но и про защиту приезжих от нелегальных посредников и криминальных схем. Куницын подчёркивает, что эффективная работа по предотвращению преступлений и поддержанию порядка создаёт доверие между местным населением и новыми жителями. Экономическая сторона вопроса включает и долгосрочные выгоды. Если интеграция пройдёт успешно, многие мигранты со временем адаптируются, станут постоянными налогоплательщиками и потребителями, что положительно скажется на локальной экономике. Они могут открыть малый бизнес, создавать рабочие места или заполнять демографические пробелы в районах с убывающим населением. Но для этого нужны инвестиции в обучение, доступ к услугам и возможности для социальной мобильности. Наконец, эксперт обращает внимание на медиа- и коммуникационный фон. Как показывает практика, общественное мнение во многом формируется не только фактами, но и нарративами в СМИ и социальных сетях. Прозрачное информирование населения, объяснение причин притока и шагов, которые предпринимают власти, поможет снизить тревогу и предотвратить дезинформацию. Важны языковые кампании, разъясняющие права и обязанности мигрантов, а также открытый диалог с местными сообществами. Весь этот словесный понос Куницына можно сформулировать кратко так: резкий приток мигрантов на Урале этой осенью — вероятный сценарий при комбинации внешних и внутренних факторов, но его последствия будут зависеть от того, насколько готовы действовать власти, бизнес и общество. Своевременное планирование, легализация рабочих механизмов и социальная поддержка способны превратить потенциальный вызов в экономическую и демографическую возможность для региона. Хотите, могу подготовить краткий план действий для муниципалитетов — что можно сделать за ближайшие 1–3 месяца.The post На Урале ожидается резкий приток мигрантов с начала осени 2026 года, — эксперт Дмитрий Куницын first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /economics/na-urale-ozhidaetsya-rezkij-pritok-migrantov-s-nachala-oseni-2026-goda-ekspert-dmitrij-kunitsyn/feed/ 0 В Твери проводятся работы по уничтожению борщевика /incidents-news/v-tveri-provodyatsya-raboty-po-unichtozheniyu-borshhevika/ /incidents-news/v-tveri-provodyatsya-raboty-po-unichtozheniyu-borshhevika/#respond Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:00:04 +0000 /incidents-news/v-tveri-provodyatsya-raboty-po-unichtozheniyu-borshhevika/ На текущий момент обработано около 30 гектаров. Работы проводятся в Березовой роще посёлка Химинститута, в парке посёлка Сахарово, на улице Орджоникидзе вдоль Хлебного ручья, а также на улицах Лидии Базановой, Королёва и на Бурашевском шоссе. С 3 июня до […] The post В Твери проводятся работы по уничтожению борщевика first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> На текущий момент обработано около 30 гектаров. Работы проводятся в Березовой роще посёлка Химинститута, в парке посёлка Сахарово, на улице Орджоникидзе вдоль Хлебного ручья, а также на улицах Лидии Базановой, Королёва и на Бурашевском шоссе. С 3 июня до конца сентября запланирована обработка с применением гербицидов таких городских территорий, как улицы Кропоткина и Константина Заслонова, бульвар Цанова и других. Напоминаем, что одна и та же территория должна систематически подвергаться обработке в течение нескольких лет: только после этого растение теряет способность к росту и дальнейшему распространению.The post В Твери проводятся работы по уничтожению борщевика first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/v-tveri-provodyatsya-raboty-po-unichtozheniyu-borshhevika/feed/ 0 В Твери начался основной период сдачи ЕГЭ /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalsya-osnovnoj-period-sdachi-ege/ /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalsya-osnovnoj-period-sdachi-ege/#respond Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:07:03 +0000 /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalsya-osnovnoj-period-sdachi-ege/ В Твери функционирует 8 пунктов проведения экзаменов, на участие в которых зарегистрировано 837 человек. Следующий экзамен состоится 4 июня, когда выпускников ожидает аттестация по русскому языку. 8 июня им предстоит сдача математики (базовый и профильный уровни), а 11 июня […] The post В Твери начался основной период сдачи ЕГЭ first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> В Твери функционирует 8 пунктов проведения экзаменов, на участие в которых зарегистрировано 837 человек. Следующий экзамен состоится 4 июня, когда выпускников ожидает аттестация по русскому языку. 8 июня им предстоит сдача математики (базовый и профильный уровни), а 11 июня – обществознания и физики. Сдача биологии, географии и письменной части иностранного языка запланирована на 15 июня. Завершение основного периода ЕГЭ пройдет 18 и 19 июня, когда выпускники будут сдавать устную часть иностранных языков и информатику (КЕГЭ). Для тех, кто по уважительным причинам не сможет участвовать в экзаменах в основной период, предусмотрены резервные дни с 22 по 25 июня. Дополнительная возможность пересдать один из предметов будет предоставлена 8 и 9 июля. В этом году Единый госэкзамен пройдет для 2463 учащихся 11-х классов.The post В Твери начался основной период сдачи ЕГЭ first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalsya-osnovnoj-period-sdachi-ege/feed/ 0 В тверских загородных оздоровительных лагерях стартовала первая смена /incidents-news/v-tverskih-zagorodnyh-ozdorovitelnyh-lageryah-startovala-pervaya-smena/ /incidents-news/v-tverskih-zagorodnyh-ozdorovitelnyh-lageryah-startovala-pervaya-smena/#respond Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:35:03 +0000 /incidents-news/v-tverskih-zagorodnyh-ozdorovitelnyh-lageryah-startovala-pervaya-smena/ В рамках первой смены в муниципальных лагерях «Дружба», «Радуга», «Романтик», «Спутник», «Чайка», «Ровесник», «Звездный» и «Ромашка» отдохнут 1 420 детей. Как и в предыдущие годы, оздоровительная кампания 2026 года организована с соблюдением санитарно-эпидемиологических норм, требуемых для функционирования образовательных учреждений и […] The post В тверских загородных оздоровительных лагерях стартовала первая смена first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> В рамках первой смены в муниципальных лагерях «Дружба», «Радуга», «Романтик», «Спутник», «Чайка», «Ровесник», «Звездный» и «Ромашка» отдохнут 1 420 детей. Как и в предыдущие годы, оздоровительная кампания 2026 года организована с соблюдением санитарно-эпидемиологических норм, требуемых для функционирования образовательных учреждений и других объектов для детей и молодежи. Перед стартом первой смены была проведена санитарная обработка помещений и противоклещевая обработка территорий. Для детей запланирован широкий спектр развлекательно-познавательных мероприятий.The post В тверских загородных оздоровительных лагерях стартовала первая смена first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/v-tverskih-zagorodnyh-ozdorovitelnyh-lageryah-startovala-pervaya-smena/feed/ 0 Жители Твери смогут записаться на диспансеризацию через Госуслуги /incidents-news/zhiteli-tveri-smogut-zapisatsya-na-dispanserizatsiyu-cherez-gosuslugi/ /incidents-news/zhiteli-tveri-smogut-zapisatsya-na-dispanserizatsiyu-cherez-gosuslugi/#respond Wed, 27 May 2026 10:14:03 +0000 /incidents-news/zhiteli-tveri-smogut-zapisatsya-na-dispanserizatsiyu-cherez-gosuslugi/ Тверская область является одним из трех российских регионов, участвующих в пилотном проекте, направленном на внедрение сервисов, позволяющих записываться на диспансеризацию и профилактический осмотр через Единый портал Госуслуг (ЕПГУ). Эти новые услуги сделают процесс записи на диспансеризацию и профосмотр максимально простым […] The post Жители Твери смогут записаться на диспансеризацию через Госуслуги first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> Тверская область является одним из трех российских регионов, участвующих в пилотном проекте, направленном на внедрение сервисов, позволяющих записываться на диспансеризацию и профилактический осмотр через Единый портал Госуслуг (ЕПГУ). Эти новые услуги сделают процесс записи на диспансеризацию и профосмотр максимально простым и доступным для всех жителей региона. Каждый гражданин старше 18 лет сможет ежегодно записываться через ЕПГУ на комплексные медицинские услуги, выбирая наиболее удобные дату и время из предложенного списка. В системе также будет предусмотрена анкета для заполнения. По итогам диспансеризации медицинская информационная система (МИС) передаст на Госуслуги информацию о группе здоровья пациента и предложит дату следующей плановой диспансеризации. Ожидается, что новые сервисы для записи на диспансеризацию и профосмотр через Госуслуги станут доступны жителям Тверского региона уже осенью этого года.The post Жители Твери смогут записаться на диспансеризацию через Госуслуги first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/zhiteli-tveri-smogut-zapisatsya-na-dispanserizatsiyu-cherez-gosuslugi/feed/ 0 Во всех районах Твери отремонтируют придомовые территории /incidents-news/vo-vseh-rajonah-tveri-otremontiruyut-pridomovye-territorii/ /incidents-news/vo-vseh-rajonah-tveri-otremontiruyut-pridomovye-territorii/#respond Mon, 25 May 2026 09:35:03 +0000 /incidents-news/vo-vseh-rajonah-tveri-otremontiruyut-pridomovye-territorii/ Финансирование первоочередных ремонтных работ, направленных на приведение в нормативное состояние дорожного покрытия во дворах, было выделено из регионального бюджета. В текущем году планируется отремонтировать около 145 дворов. На данный момент ремонтные бригады работают в Заволжском районе. Также продолжаются работы по […] The post Во всех районах Твери отремонтируют придомовые территории first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> Финансирование первоочередных ремонтных работ, направленных на приведение в нормативное состояние дорожного покрытия во дворах, было выделено из регионального бюджета. В текущем году планируется отремонтировать около 145 дворов. На данный момент ремонтные бригады работают в Заволжском районе. Также продолжаются работы по благоустройству придомовых территорий в Московском районе Твери, где в план включены 34 объекта. Завершены работы по фрезерованию, и начинается асфальтирование на бульваре Цанова, включая дома 35, 33, 31, 29, 25, 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, 13, 11 корпуса 1 и 2, 9 корпуса 1 и 2, а также 5, 3 и 1. Работы проводятся также на улице Орджоникидзе (дома 54/37, 52 корпуса 1 и 2), на улице Фадеева (дома 31, 29, 25, 23), Волоколамском проспекте (дома 37/45, 39), в посёлке Химинститута (дома 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 45, 46), а также в микрорайоне Южный: на Октябрьском проспекте (дом 87 корпуса 1 и 2), на улице Можайского (дом 58), бульваре Гусева (дома 34, 32) и подъезде к домам 36, 38, 40 по бульвару Гусева. В Центральном районе ремонт запланирован на 41 придомовой территории. В настоящее время завершены работы по проспекту Чайковского, дома 27, 27А, 27Б, 27В, 25, 35, 37, 90, 94, 98, 100, улице Коминтерна, дом 43, Спортивному переулку, дом 3А, Садовому переулку, дома 1 и 5 и улице Лидии Базановой, дом 5. Работы продолжаются по следующим адресам: проспект Чайковского дом 84, 6 корпус 2, улица Фадеева, дом 1, Спортивный переулок, дома 4 и 8, Тверской проспект, дом 16, улица Трехсвятская, дома 18 и 20, переулок Трудолюбия, дом 34, улица Циммервальдского, дом 24, Волоколамский проспект, дома 18 и 2, улица Попова, дом 1, проспект Победы, дома 18 и 10, улица Ерофеева, дома 12, 4, 6 и 6а, проезд Швейников, дома 2, 4 корпус 1, 4 корпус 2, 6 и улица Кайкова, дом 3. В Пролетарском районе планируется отремонтировать 24 двора. Ремонт уже выполнен по следующим адресам: 1-й переулок Красной Слободы, дом 7/1, бульвар Ногина, дома 7 и 7 корпус 1, дом 6 корпус 4, Академическая улица, дом 14 корпус 1, улица Громова, дома 18 корпус 1, 18 корпус 2, 22 корпус 1, 22 корпус 2, 12, Пролетарская набережная, дома 10, 9, 8, улица Строителей, дом 8 корпус 2, Мигаловская набережная, дом 15а, проспект Калинина, дома 12 и 14, проспект Ленина, дом 23/1, улица Кирова, дома 7 и 7а и улица Ткача, дома 16 и 16 корпус 1.The post Во всех районах Твери отремонтируют придомовые территории first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/vo-vseh-rajonah-tveri-otremontiruyut-pridomovye-territorii/feed/ 0 На главной пешеходной улице Твери начались ремонтные работы /incidents-news/na-glavnoj-peshehodnoj-ulitse-tveri-nachalis-remontnye-raboty/ /incidents-news/na-glavnoj-peshehodnoj-ulitse-tveri-nachalis-remontnye-raboty/#respond Fri, 15 May 2026 09:07:03 +0000 /incidents-news/na-glavnoj-peshehodnoj-ulitse-tveri-nachalis-remontnye-raboty/ В настоящее время осуществляется демонтаж старого покрытия Трехсвятской. В ближайшее время будут установлены водоотводные лотки, проложены кабельные линии для наружного освещения, а также организованы стойки опор для освещения. На ремонтируемом участке планируется укладка новой гранитной плитки общей площадью 2 800 […] The post На главной пешеходной улице Твери начались ремонтные работы first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> В настоящее время осуществляется демонтаж старого покрытия Трехсвятской. В ближайшее время будут установлены водоотводные лотки, проложены кабельные линии для наружного освещения, а также организованы стойки опор для освещения. На ремонтируемом участке планируется укладка новой гранитной плитки общей площадью 2 800 квадратных метров. Кроме того, предусмотрено переустройство колодцев с установкой 22 стилизованных люков с надписью «Тверь». Для обеспечения безопасности будет внедрена система видеонаблюдения.The post На главной пешеходной улице Твери начались ремонтные работы first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/na-glavnoj-peshehodnoj-ulitse-tveri-nachalis-remontnye-raboty/feed/ 0 В Твери начались плановые отключения горячей воды /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalis-planovye-otklyucheniya-goryachej-vody/ /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalis-planovye-otklyucheniya-goryachej-vody/#respond Wed, 13 May 2026 08:56:03 +0000 /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalis-planovye-otklyucheniya-goryachej-vody/ Данная процедура включает поэтапное отключение горячего водоснабжения в жилых домах и социальных учреждениях. Главной целью этих испытаний является выявление опасных и наиболее уязвимых участков тепловых сетей для последующего проведения ремонтных работ в летний период, сообщается на сайте администрации Твери. В […] The post В Твери начались плановые отключения горячей воды first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> Данная процедура включает поэтапное отключение горячего водоснабжения в жилых домах и социальных учреждениях. Главной целью этих испытаний является выявление опасных и наиболее уязвимых участков тепловых сетей для последующего проведения ремонтных работ в летний период, сообщается на сайте администрации Твери. В дополнение к деятельности теплоснабжающей организации, управляющие компании жилого фонда и социальные учреждения также должны осуществлять подготовку сетей к осенне-зимнему сезону. В частности, на внутридомовых сетях проводятся осмотры состояния труб, сварных соединений и запорной арматуры, а также выполняются промывка и опрессовка внутренней системы отопления и тепловых узлов с устранением выявленных повреждений. После завершения всех необходимых работ управляющие организации обязаны получить паспорт готовности к отопительному сезону для каждого дома.The post В Твери начались плановые отключения горячей воды first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/v-tveri-nachalis-planovye-otklyucheniya-goryachej-vody/feed/ 0 В Торжке планируют построить завод по производству стеклоомывающей жидкости /incidents-news/v-torzhke-planiruyut-postroit-zavod-po-proizvodstvu-stekloomyvayushhej-zhidkosti/ /incidents-news/v-torzhke-planiruyut-postroit-zavod-po-proizvodstvu-stekloomyvayushhej-zhidkosti/#respond Tue, 12 May 2026 09:56:03 +0000 /incidents-news/v-torzhke-planiruyut-postroit-zavod-po-proizvodstvu-stekloomyvayushhej-zhidkosti/ AdBlue — жидкий реагент, используемый для очистки выхлопных газов дизельных двигателей методом селективной каталитической нейтрализации. Планируемая производственная мощность —50 тыс. тонн в год (34,1 тыс. тонн в год стеклоомывающей жидкости, 15,9 тыс. тонн в год AdBlue), сообщается на Инвестиционном портале […] The post В Торжке планируют построить завод по производству стеклоомывающей жидкости first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> AdBlue — жидкий реагент, используемый для очистки выхлопных газов дизельных двигателей методом селективной каталитической нейтрализации. Планируемая производственная мощность —50 тыс. тонн в год (34,1 тыс. тонн в год стеклоомывающей жидкости, 15,9 тыс. тонн в год AdBlue), сообщается на Инвестиционном портале Тверской области. Реализацией проекта займётся компания «Инсотех» — совместное предприятие ООО «ЭКТО» и ООО «ЛЛК‑Интернешнл» (ПАО «ЛУКОЙЛ»).The post В Торжке планируют построить завод по производству стеклоомывающей жидкости first appeared on Совет регионального единства Свердловской области.]]> /incidents-news/v-torzhke-planiruyut-postroit-zavod-po-proizvodstvu-stekloomyvayushhej-zhidkosti/feed/ 0

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Fri, 06 Mar 2020 14:30:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 100720379 Top 10 Tips for Doing the Best Garden Route Tour in South Africa top-10-tips-for-doing-the-best-garden-route-tour-in-south-africa/ Fri, 06 Mar 2020 14:30:13 +0000 ?p=2291 If you are planning on doing a Garden Route Trip in South Africa, one of the Top Destinations for world travellers, you might have some questions. Like what the best routes are to and from the Garden Route, where to start your trip and what to include. We have put together our top tips and […] The post Top 10 Tips for Doing the Best Garden Route Tour in South Africa appeared first on . ]]> If you are planning on doing a Garden Route Trip in South Africa, one of the Top Destinations for world travellers, you might have some questions. Like what the best routes are to and from the Garden Route, where to start your trip and what to include. We have put together our top tips and valuable insights so that you can decide what the best Garden Route tour experience will be for you. No matter where you’re coming from, we know you’re travelling far to reach us at the southern tip of the African continent. We understand that you want to make sure that each day of your holiday on the Garden Route is memorable. Start your Garden Route Tour in Cape Town to add rugged mountain scenery to your trip Letus start with the fact that Cape Town itself should be a must-do on your travel bucket list. It is home to Table Mountain and is a scenic feast that should be part of your holiday plans. Starting your tour from Cape Town enables you to do the gorgeous scenic Route 62 with its rugged mountain scenery. The rugged mountains are spectacular; Route 62 meanders past farming towns, vineyards, and fruit growing towns and orchards. You will love the scenery on this tour while having interesting conversations with our guides. PS: Fly directly to Cape Town, which can save you some valuable holiday time Include Oudtshoorn as an overnight stop to add the Cango Caves and arid Little Karoo Oudtshoorn is ideal as a lovely overnight venue, breaking up travel distance while adding beautiful scenic diversity to your trip. It is located in the arid Little Karoo, situated between the Swartberg Mountains and the Outeniqua Mountains. Oudtshoorn was established during two ostrich-feather boom periods in the 1800s and 1900s. Oudtshoorn is known as the “Ostrich Capital of the World”, having the largest Ostrich population in the world We love staying in the picturesque, peaceful Schoemanshoek Valley of Oudtshoorn where there are many great accommodation establishments. Located close to the famous Cango Caves, an underground wonder that is many millions of years old. The caves are a network of limestone chambers and vast halls with dripstone stalactite and stalagmite formations. One of the must-do attractions on your tour. The word-class Cango Caves offer easy Heritage Tours and Adventure tours into the smaller chambers. This cave is a national asset and managed to balance between showing off its beauty and preserving its heritage. Some of the chamber halls are so large that it has been the venue of Symphony Concerts in the past. The Heritage Tour would be preferable if you prefer a leisurely tour rather than the heart-racing but exhilarating Adventurous journey. Include the Garden Route town of Knysna The scenic highlight in Knysna are the two giant sandstone heads flanking the entrance from the Knysna Lagoon or Estuary into the Ocean. You can choose from various Knysna Lagoon cruises to get a front-seat view of the Heads. One of these cruise options is the Featherbed Eco Experience. Combining a Lagoon Cruise, a 4×4 vehicle drive to the Featherbed Nature Reserve and stopping at beautiful viewpoints. You can also opt to do an optional guided walk down the Head with stunning views and a delicious buffet lunch. If you prefer to do a cruise only, there are daytime and sunset cruise options. It is a great way to end the evening, sundowner in hand while gazing out on the Heads and Ocean. Dinner is included on the sunset Paddlecruiser, and one can order from the a la carte menu on the John Ben Sunset Cruise. Knysna, also known as the “Oyster capital” and well known for the annual Oyster Festival. There are also many great restaurants, several located at the Knysna Waterfront with its various arts and craft shops. Knysna is a convenient central location on the Garden Route. It serves as a “home-base” from which to explore the surrounding attractions of the Garden Route. The seaside town of Plettenberg Bay with its golden beaches should be part of your Garden Route Tour Holiday Vibes; White clean beaches; Blue Sky; Beautiful Ocean – this is Plettenberg Bay. No wonder Plettenberg Bay is one of the favourite holiday venues for the local South Africans. There are many restaurants with delicious food and many excursions to enjoy nature and wildlife. Whales frequent the bay at Plettenberg Bay during Whale season (July to November) and Dolphins in the warmer months (December to April). Book a cruise if you want to experience these marine mammals in their natural habitat. Whether you are an avid hiker or enjoy a leisurely stroll, the Robberg Nature Reserve offers various short and longer hiking routes. The Robberg Nature reserve is a World Heritage Site with rocks dating back 120 million years. Evidence of Stone Age inhabitation was found in the caves along the peninsula. The Keurbooms River enters the Ocean at Plettenberg Bay, and the Keurbooms River Guided Ferry takes you up into the Keurbooms River on a leisurely and educational cruise. Include the stunning Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park near the Stormsriver Village We have seen many Garden Route Itineraries that stop short of including Tsitsikamma – don’t make that mistake! Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park is one of the most scenic parts of the Garden Route. It is incredibly relaxing to stroll on the wooden boardwalks through the coastal forest, with stunning views over the Ocean. These boardwalks lead to the suspension bridge over the Storms River Mouth, which makes for great photographic opportunities. If you are up for modest accommodation, we highly recommend an overnight stay in one of the ocean-view wooden cabins. Some of them are located right at the shore and rocks, and you would have great views over the Ocean from your own patio. The National Park is a beautiful, restful experience. Whether it is a calm sunny day or whether it is stormy weather when the waves are crashing on the shore in an impressive display of the Ocean. The only way to see the inaccessible Storms River Gorge and Waterfall are with the Spirit of Tsitsikamma boat cruise that starts in the National Park on the ocean side, and then enters the Storms River. Another favourite activity here is doing the Kayak-Lilo excursion – a great way the natural beauty of Tsitsikamma. Discover the gems of activities around Storms River Village There are many activities to enjoy in the Storms River Village / Tsitsikamma area. Some of these are ziplining across a waterfall which is an easy 1-hour activity to enjoy whether you are 3 or 80 years old. The 3-hour Treetop Canopy Tour takes you from platform to platform high up in the trees of the Tsitsikamma Forest. Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness and Rehabilitation Centre is a rehabilitation and recuperation centre for indigenous cats and other animals of South Africa. Animals can recuperate so that they can be returned to the wild where they belong. Tenikwa offers various conservation-based wildlife tours focused on the wild cats of South Africa. One of these tours is the 1-hour Wild Cat Experience where visitors are led on a guided tour to meet African Wild Cats. Located in the Tsitsikamma Forest, is the ancient Yellowwood Big Tree estimated to be almost 800 years old, and standing 36.6m tall with a circumference of 9 metres. A pathway through the forest leads you to this majestic natural beauty. Add the beautiful beaches of Wilderness Wilderness is a picturesque village famous for its beautiful wide beaches, lagoons and rivers. On Wilderness Heights, you will find the Map-of-Africa Viewpoint that gives you a bird’s eye view of this natural wonder shaped like the African continent. Right across from the map-of-Africa viewpoint, is a popular spot to do Paragliding (Tandem with Instructor). For a nature activity, you can hire a kayak for a leisurely kayak excursion to the Touw River Waterfall. The first half will be leisurely kayaking and the second half a hike along the boardwalk to the Waterfall. Take a picnic snack along to enjoy at the Waterfall and natural pool. Another great lookout point in the Dolphin Point Viewpoint. Travel back to Cape Town via the scenic coastal Overberg Travelling back, the routes passing Arniston, Cape Agulhas, Hermanus and the coastal Clarence Drive add additional scenic diversity to your tour experience. Arniston is a small seaside fishing village and home to the famous Arniston Hotel. The sea’s colour at Arniston is a hypnotizing turquoise and provides a gorgeous view from your sea-facing room. Overberg, Arniston, Cape Agulhas. Add a short Safari if you have limited time We recommend including one of the Game Reserves like Gondwana or Botlierskop on your Garden Toute tour. Either as an overnight venue or as a Day Visitor doing a Game Drive. One night at these smaller game reserves is ideal. The predators are kept separate in large encampments, and the number of large animals is smaller in line with the size of the reserves and with responsible conservation. Chances are high to see 4 of the Big 5 on these game drives, conducted in 4×4 vehicles. The wildlife includes Lion, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino though there are more wildlife species, depending on your visit. Add an authentic free-roaming-wildlife African Safaris in the adjacent Eastern Cape to your Garden Route tour. Eastern Cape is located right next to the Garden Route, which makes an authentic African Safari in the Eastern Cape easily accessible. Some of the options are Addo, Kariega, Shamwari, Lalibela, Amakhala, Pumba, Kwandwe and Gorah. The thrilling game drives are conducted in 4×4 vehicles in search of the free-roaming animals. Because of the size of these reserves, we recommend a minimum stay of 2 nights to do your Safari experience justice. Contact the Garden Route experts, 34° South Tours for more Tips and Advice or a Tour Proposal that incorporates your interests. The post Top 10 Tips for Doing the Best Garden Route Tour in South Africa appeared first on . ]]> 2291 Top 5 tours to do in Cape Town 2017/2018 top-5-tours-cape-town/ Thu, 16 Nov 2017 12:13:50 +0000 ?p=2278 With Table Mountain as the city’s famous official New7Wonders of Nature backdrop, Cape Town has always been rich in history. There is plenty to do in the city and peninsula. Whether it is a ride to see Table Mountain, or the scenic views of the peninsula and enjoying safari tours and cape winelands. Cape Town […] The post Top 5 tours to do in Cape Town 2017/2018 appeared first on . ]]> With Table Mountain as the city’s famous official New7Wonders of Nature backdrop, Cape Town has always been rich in history. There is plenty to do in the city and peninsula. Whether it is a ride to see Table Mountain, or the scenic views of the peninsula and enjoying safari tours and cape winelands. Cape Town surely deserves being named the best place to visit in the world by the American New York times, and the British Daily Telegraph in 2014. That is why I took it upon myself, to create a list. Top 5 tours To Do in Cape Town. Cape Point and Peninsula day tour The day tour provides a full day of scenic splendour, travelling around the peninsula and including Cape Point, at the very tip of the Cape peninsula, and located within the Table Mountain National Park, a natural world heritage site. Visit Cape Point for more information to see why this is a must-do as one of the highlights of this tour, and visit 34 South Tours to see how the other activities and scenic points around the peninsula e.g the Atlantic seaboard, Boulders beach penguins and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is included to make this day a scenic feast. Cape Winelands day tour The day tour entails the picturesque views passing through wine routes of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. With a valley of vineyards, gorgeous mountain ranges as backdrop, charming and friendly towns and tempting cuisine at any of the award-winning restaurants that the winelands are famous for, you will experience why this is one of the highlights of the city. There is a variety of activities to do, from wine and chocolate tasting, to cheese tasting and gourmet picnics, you might just spend the entire day enjoying all these luxuries. See our winelands tours for more ideas on how to spend your day. Hermanus and whales’ day tour This is a full day tour, available from July to November as this is the official whale season. Hermanus is a popular village holiday spot with pristine beaches, nature reserves with Fynpos, which is the smallest of the plant kingdoms in the world, and whale watching, this intimate village will delight you. You can also add wine tasting to your Hermanus trip. And half the fun is the coastal scenic route to get there as Clarence Drive, passing Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and , is considered to be one of the most beautiful coastal roads snug against the ocean on the one side and the mountains on the other. For more information onhow to make the most of this day, check out 34 South Tours Whales Tours. Cape Town safari tour Want to meet the king of the jungle and see if he really roars? Well this Cape Town Safari tour is just the activity for you! You will enjoy a game drive at Aquila game reserve and see The Big 5 in the flesh. The highlight of the tour includes seeing the Big 5, buffet breakfast and lunch as well as a scenic drive back to Cape Town. Visit Aquila game reserve. Cape Town city tour to Table Mountain What better way to see the city, than on top of the red double decker bus? With 11 hop on hop off points around the city and commentary in 15 languages, this is a great way to visit Table Mountain, the Two Oceans Aquarium, the V&A Waterfront, the promenade alongCamps Bay, Sea point and Mouille Point and Long Street in the city. Check out City Sight Seeing for more information. The post Top 5 tours to do in Cape Town 2017/2018 appeared first on . ]]> 2278 14 Reasons why your Garden Route Tour should include the Overberg 14-reasons-why-your-garden-route-tour-should-include-the-overberg/ Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:12:07 +0000 ?p=2240 14 Superb reasons why you should add the Overberg to your Garden Route Tour or do an Overberg Tour We would love to keep the Overberg a secret so as to preserve the serene ambiance of the area, but it’s just too good not to share. It has become such a popular add-on to […] The post 14 Reasons why your Garden Route Tour should include the Overberg appeared first on . ]]> 14 Superb reasons why you should add the Overberg to your Garden Route Tour or do an Overberg Tour We would love to keep the Overberg a secret so as to preserve the serene ambiance of the area, but it’s just too good not to share. It has become such a popular add-on to our Garden Route Tours, that the team at 34º South Tours has listed the main reasons why you absolutely must add the Overberg to your travel experience or to your Garden Route Tour in South Africa. (View our tours that include the Overberg : 5-day Garden Route and Overberg Tour or 7-day Garden Route & malaria-free Safari Tour or 5-day Garden Route & Wildlife Tour or 2-day Arniston & Cape Agulhas Tour) The Garden Route is truly one of the top travel destinations and highlights to experience on your holiday in South Africa. The route stretches along the picturesque south-eastern coastline, offering tremendous diversity and a scenic feast of experiences. South Africans have long ago discovered that half the fun is traveling to the Garden route and back. This is where the Overberg enters the picture. The meandering route through the beautiful scenery of the Overberg past the charming towns adds to the diverse scenic experiences you will already have encountered on your Garden route trip. Arniston (Waenshuiskrans) is 370 kilometres from Knysna on the Garden Route, making it the perfect “halfway station” back to Cape Town. It is an unforgettable break ensuring you arrive back in Cape Town refreshed and energised after the Garden Route leg of yout tour. Top reasons why you should add an Overberg Odyssey to your travel experience: 1. Arniston’s azure-coloured sea is magnificent The stunning turqoise/azure-coloured ocean at picturesque Arniston, an unexpected gem on our Garden Route and Overberg Tour, is one of the reasons why this quaint fishing village found its way into our hearts. The colour of the ocean is almost unreal and at the same time, both calming and invigorating. 2. Arniston Hotel and Restaurant for a superb, relaxing experience and the ideal halfway-station between the Garden Route and Cape Town The 4-star Arniston Hotel is located right on the ocean. One of the joys of staying in this warm friendly hotel, is the ocean view from our beatiful sea-facing room, which is decorated in cool ocean colours. This may be a small charming fishing village, but the restaurant in Arniston Hotel is top-notch and serves a wide variety of sophisticated dishes and a delicious breakfast buffet that will tempt you to over-indulge. And if you love to be pampered, make sure to pre-book a spa treatment at the Ginkgo Spa at Arniston. 3. Kassiesbaai’s Fishermen with their friendly, crinckled weather-beaten faces bring in the catch of the day Watching the Kassiesbaai fishermen with their friendly, weathered, crinckled faces bringing in the catch of the day, rates as one of the highlights when staying in Arniston. Stroll down to the small fishing harbour with its colourful fishing “chuckies” and watch as they expertly clean the catch of the day, which could be Cob, Red Roman, Steenbras or any of the other fish found in these waters. A large portion of their catch is bought by the Restaurant at Arniston Hotel, and the Chef starts his day selecting the fish and shellfish for the restaurants’s menu. So it really is the “Catch of the day”, fresh and delicious, when you order this on the “a la carte” menu. 4. Arniston’s safe swimming waters, beautiful clean beaches and pristine white sand dunes From Arniston Hotel, it’s an easy stroll to the beautiful safe beaches with its warm shallow water; the Waenhuiskrans beach cave that can be accessed at low tide and the pristine sand dunes that beckon to be conquered. 5. Hermanus, best land-based whale watching in the World Hermanus is the favourite annual holiday venue for the Southern Right whales from July to November. They travel yearly from Antarctica to mate and calve safely in the calm water of Walker Bay. This makes Hermanus the best land-based whale watching spot in the world during whale season (and the best people-watching spot for whales). Hermanus has the only Whale Crier in the world. The position is currently held by Eric Davalah, who followed in the footsteps of a progression of Whale criers since 1991. The Whale crier searches for whales alongside everyone else, strolling along the cliff paths, and announcing whale sightings by blowing on his kelp horn. It is such fun to be part of the collective sighs of enjoyment and amazement from the people as they spot a whale breaching. 6. Hermanus’ Fernkloof Nature Reserve and Winelands and Beaches makes it a popular destination Hermanus is a favourite holiday venue with its pristine blue flag beaches. The Hermanus Wine Route along the Hemel-en-Aarde Vallei (translated meaning Heaven and Earth Valley) offers wonderful wine tasting and wine shopping experiences and includes the wine estates of La Vierge Wines, Sumaridge, Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell Vineyards. Fernkloof Nature Reserve provides stunning panoramic views and photographic opportunities overlooking the valley and ocean. 7. Birding in the Overberg : “Beauty” (Blue Crane Birds) and the “Beast” (Cape Vultures) It is not unusual to see Blue Cranes, South Africa’s elegant national bird, chatting to their sheep friends next to the farm roads. Almost half of South Africa’s Blue Crane population of about 25000 birds are found in the Overberg. As these stunning birds are under threat, seeing so many of them along the Overberg roads is a privelige we hope to continue enjoying in future. The only remaining colony of Cape Griffon Vultures in the Western Cape, live in the steep cliffs of the Potberg Mountains in the De Hoop Nature Reserve. They now flourish where their numbers were previousdly dwindling. The farmers and community have been instrumental in protecting the colony. 8. The adorable African Penguin Colony at Stoney Point in Betty’s Bay is a delightful experience Traveling in Cape Town’s direction, just before Clarence Drive, we stop at Stoney Point in Betty’s Bay and stroll along the wooden boardwalk to the controlled access point where, for a nominal entrance fee, one can observe the African Penguin Colony. We love their former name, the “jackass penguins”; this aptly links them to donkeys because of the braying sound they make . The adorable penguins, all dressed up in their “tuxedos”, must rate as one of the cutest birds we’ve ever seen. This is a wonderful opportunity to see them in their natural habitat, where they are not enclosed, and free to come and go as they please. They share their “home” with cormorants and many other sea birds. A jacket is advisable as the temperature can be cool with a strong wind. 9. The charming back-roads, meandering through the farmlands, create a wonderful ambiance We love traveling along the back-roads that pass the farms in the Overberg. Away from the hustle and bustle, there’s time to stop and take pictures and to enjoy the views of the rolling farmlands and the beautiful scenery. 10. Bright yellow Canola Fields and Blue Mountains make for great photo opportunities During the late winter and early spring months, the magnificent bright yellow canola fields stretch as far as we can see. We tried to capture it on camera, but there’s nothing that comes close to seeing the bright-coloured fields “live”. Behind the rolling hills of the Overberg, the backdrop of rugged blue mountains makes a stunning picture and it is easy to see why they have inspired many South African songs. 11. Cape Agulhas (or known as Cape L’agulhas), the iconic meeting place of the “Two Oceans” There’s something special and magical knowing we are standing on the southern-most tip of Africa, that iconic point on the African map. When we face the ocean, the Atlantic Ocean is on our right ; the indian Ocean on our left. This is the southern-most point that the early seafarers had to circum-navigate when they were searching for safe passage to the spice islands of the East. 12. Clarence Drive, our magnificent scenic coastal drive, is one of the most scenic roads you’ll experience. Clarence Drive is considered one of the most scenic drives in the world (as per our guests’ opinion) and the stunning scenic splendour entices you to stop at the viewpoints to try and capture the beauty with a photograph. The road is hugged snugly by the mountain range on one side and the ocean on the other. Whether it’s a sunny or cloudy day, the scenery is truly spectacular and we’ll never tire of dricing along this beautiful road. The road passes the beautiful coastal villages of Kleinmond, Rooiels, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay – each in their own right will tempt you to pause and stay : Betty’s Bay gems include : Harold Porter Botanical Gardens ; beaches, lagoons and hiking trails Kleinmond gems : beautiful coastline, open market with crafts, gifts, gallery, art, golf course, hiking trails, Rooiels gems : peace and quiet, beautiful beach, stunning views and rocky shore Pringle Bay gems : picturesque village, peace and quiet, beautiful views over False Bay 13. Greyton will enchant you Instead of taking the shortest route to Cape Town, treat yourself and make the best detour to Greyton, a picturesque, qauint and arty village. One of our top favourite villages in the Overberg, Greyton it is best explored on foot in order to enjoy all the gems one can discover in this beautiful village. Keep your camera ready as there is ample photo opportunities. Our favourite activities in Greyton include shopping (art, candles, beauty products, gardening, fashion, gifts, chocolates, wine and much more) and hiking (whether through the village, in the Nature Reserve or along the river) and enjoying the delicious cuisine of the many quality restaurants. If you’re around on a Saturday, the Saturday Morning Market is where you would want to explore and buy wonderful arts and crafts and delicious edibles. Don’t be surprised if you don’t want to leave – Greyton is known to enchant and is a favourite wedding venue for a reason. All our private tours can be customised to include as much of the Overberg as you would like to explore ; we also include the Overberg in many of our small-group tours. 5-day Garden Route & Overberg Tour 2-day Arniston and Cape Agulhas Tour 7-day Garden Route & Eastern Cape Safari (includes the Overberg) Email us on info@34southtours.com or select the “Enquire Now / Book “ button to obtain rates & availability on any of our tours or to request us to craft your perfect Tour: ENQUIRE NOW / BOOK YOUR DREAM TOUR View All Garden Route Tours View All Tours & Safaris The post 14 Reasons why your Garden Route Tour should include the Overberg appeared first on . ]]> 2240 Visit the popular Pilanesberg for an authentic African Big 5 Safari the-popular-pilanesberg/ Fri, 07 Aug 2015 11:34:31 +0000 ?p=1940 When you are travelling to South Africa, a Cape Town tour is an absolute must. The Mother City is renowned for being one of the most picturesque in the world. Once you have experienced Cape Town, it is recommended that you witness the esteemed fauna that this country treasures. The Pilansberg National Park is located […] The post Visit the popular Pilanesberg for an authentic African Big 5 Safari appeared first on . ]]> When you are travelling to South Africa, a Cape Town tour is an absolute must. The Mother City is renowned for being one of the most picturesque in the world. Once you have experienced Cape Town, it is recommended that you witness the esteemed fauna that this country treasures. The Pilansberg National Park is located in the Bojanala region of the North West Province. In 1979, through an intensive project entitled, “Operation Genesis” that entailed an entire re-fencing of the park, allowed for many species of animal to call this nature sanctuary, home. As of today, there are approximately 7000 animals residing in the 580km2 park. Unlike any other nature reserve in the country, Pilansberg is situated in the crater of an ancient volcano. According to the park’s official website, “The park exists within the transition zone between the dry Kalahari and wetter Lowveld vegetation, commonly referred to as “Bushveld”. Unlike any other large park, unique overlaps of mammals, birds and vegetation occur because of this transition zone. Over time, wind and water have carved a spectacular landscape.” It is a highly sought after tourist destination, owing to it affording visitors the opportunity to witness our treasured Big Five in all their glory. If that wasn’t enough, Operation Genesis, has allowed rare species such as the nocturnal Brown Hyena, which is graded as being endangered. It is also a haven for the avid ornithologist – there are over 300 species of bird. Owing to its popularity, the game reserve offers accommodation for its guests. Through the park’s immense size, Pilansberg Game Reserve is able to offer four different lodges from which you may choose to suit your budget. The Bakubang Bush Lodge has 76 luxurious rooms and you are entitled to a game drive every day. The Ivory Tree Lodge is located in the north eastern region of the park. It boasts 60 standard suites and four executive suites. The Kwa Maritane lodge has 90 luxury rooms. In the south western portion of the reserve, you will find the Shepard’s Tree Game Lodge, which offers a diverse selection of rooms – 26 standard rooms, 13 family suites and four executive suites for the discerning traveller. The Pilansberg National Park is truly a destination that exudes the “spirit of Africa” and which no trip is complete without. The post Visit the popular Pilanesberg for an authentic African Big 5 Safari appeared first on . ]]> 1940 Explore the Best of the Western Cape with Cape Town Tours explore-the-best-of-the-western-cape-with-cape-town-tours-3/ Fri, 21 Nov 2014 11:01:16 +0000 ?p=621 When visiting South Africa, it’s very unlikely that a tourist or travelling party will miss out on visiting the Western Cape and Cape Town. 34º South Tours make sure that their guests see this province and explore the beautiful Mother City; it is one of the world’s most idyllic regions and offers an endless list […] The post Explore the Best of the Western Cape with Cape Town Tours appeared first on . ]]> When visiting South Africa, it’s very unlikely that a tourist or travelling party will miss out on visiting the Western Cape and Cape Town. 34º South Tours make sure that their guests see this province and explore the beautiful Mother City; it is one of the world’s most idyllic regions and offers an endless list of attractions and activities for guests. The problem that many tourists face however is that they simply do not have enough time to do and see it all. Cape Town tours, Cape Winelands Tours and Garden Route tours allow guests to visit the Cape’s most popular attractions and beautiful best-kept secrets. Undoubtedly, the best way to discover the Cape is by embarking on Cape Town tours. And although the entire Western Cape is incredibly beautiful, offering guests different landscapes, its very own unique flora, African safaris and a blend of Europe and Africa which is unique to the Mother City, 34º South Tours have planned and investigated how they can show guests the absolute best of all the “must sees”. This way, guests are assured that their time isn’t wasted and that they can fit all that needs to be seen and done into their busy schedules. What’s more, they can enjoy the Cape without having to stress about driving and planning their days; once booked on a tour all these annoyances are taken care of. And to top it off, most tours have inside information and even deals with tourist attraction operators to make sure that guests don’t pay an arm and a leg to see it all. Cape Town tours are the most popular tours in the Western Cape, taking tourists to the beautiful beaches and cliffs along the Atlantic Seaboard, the glamorous V&A Waterfront, Cape Point Nature Reserve, historical monuments and reminders, the enchanting Kirstenbosch, and of course, the iconic and majestic Table Mountain. These Cape Town tours also take guests to see the African Jackass Penguins at Boulder’s Beach, will take you to the ferry port to Robben Island and will even tell you where to go shark cage diving. And as the Cape is popular all over the world for its wines and vineyards, Cape Winelands tours have been established to take guests to the region’s most popular, award-winning, historical, and beautiful wineries. Guests are taken to the quaint and culturally rich towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, getting the chance to explore one of South Africa’s oldest towns and its art galleries, museums, award-winning restaurants and stunning oak-lined streets. The vibrant vineyards and Old Dutch homesteads can be explored, allowing guests to take their times listening to each wine-maker’s story and take a look around the vineyards. The Garden Route has enticed thousands of tourists to visit South Africa and the Western Cape. Not only can they see the beautiful eastern coastline of South Africa but they can watch how the landscape changes as they move away from Cape Point. Garden Route tours will take you to the popular whale town of Hermanus, allowing you, during wale season from June to November, to observe the graceful Southern Right Whales. You’ll also be able to stop off in the idyllic town of Plettenburg Bay and see the Wilderness and Knysna Forrest. This part of South Africa is tranquil, slow-paced and will show you South Africa’s wildlife in the Western Cape. Cape Town tours will show you the enchanting attractions and beauty of the Western Cape. Whether you choose to explore the Cape Peninsula while on Cape Town tours, go wine tasting while on Cape Winelands Tours or to relax while on Garden Route Tours you’ll be amazed with the exciting things to do and the beautiful things that you’ll see. Vacations in the Cape are amongst the most popular holidays in the world and without a doubt will leave you enchanted. The post Explore the Best of the Western Cape with Cape Town Tours appeared first on . ]]> 621 Hermanus and the Southern Right Whales hermanus-and-the-southern-right-whales-the-gentle-giants-of-the-sea/ Fri, 21 Nov 2014 11:01:11 +0000 ?p=622 Southern Right Whales graced the waters of Walker Bay long before people even started to settle in the area. And while their coming and going every year is almost like clock-work, how they manage to appear so graceful is a mystery to most. Their mesmerising frolicking and gentle nature attracts thousands of curious observers to […] The post Hermanus and the Southern Right Whales appeared first on . ]]> Southern Right Whales graced the waters of Walker Bay long before people even started to settle in the area. And while their coming and going every year is almost like clock-work, how they manage to appear so graceful is a mystery to most. Their mesmerising frolicking and gentle nature attracts thousands of curious observers to the tranquil coastal town of Hermanus every year, making it an incredibly popular Western Cape town. 34 South Tour’s “Hermanus and the Whales” tours offer tourists vising South Africa the opportunity to go whale watching in Hermanus. These tours are a day in length, departing early in the morning from Cape Town and returning in time for dinner in the Mother City. This tour not only allows guests to see the whales, but also takes them on a scenic drive through the Helderberg mountain range. The tour is also professionally run, ensuring guests a smooth and enjoyable experience, and the opportunity to learn something about the whales. This tour is also seasonal: Southern Right Whales can be seen in just a few bays in the Southern Hemisphere during the second half of the year, when they return from the freezing waters of Antarctica to give birth and mate in the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean. They spend up to four months in these waters before making the lengthy return trip back to Antarctica. While on the tour, you’ll be given the chance to observe these large mammals from a Hermanus lookout point. Weighing forty-seven tonnes and stretching fifteen meters in length, these truly enormous sea creatures entrance onlookers with their graceful breaching (soaring through the water into the air before belly-flopping onto the water’s surface), swimming and bathing. While taking you on a Cape Town tour unlike any other to see these beautiful animals, 34 South Tours will give you the option to go on a whale watching boat cruise which will take you up to fifty meters away from the whales. You may prefer to visit one of the local wine estates however, explore their cellar and pick a bottle of red to take home with you. You may also choose to visit the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens or even the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. On your return, your tour driver will take you on one of two routes. Depending on which route he took you to Hermanus on, he will now take you over the famous Sir Lowry’s Pass which stretches from Elgin and Grabouw (the heart of the Western Cape’s apple county) to Somerset West, or via Clarence Drive, a beautiful road which hugs the cliffs going into the sea and offers truly beautiful views of the sea. While this Cape Town tour is just a day in length, you’ll have more than enough time to observe the whales and soak in the relaxed atmosphere of Hermanus. Showing you beautiful scenery, a new and different side of Cape Town and the Western Cape, and the rare and majestic Southern Right Whales, this tour offers a great opportunity for tourists to explore further. Although this Cape Town tour is just a day in length, you’ll leave satisfied by the beautiful scenery and will feel relaxed and refreshed by a gentle sea breeze and coastal town atmosphere and will have had the rare opportunity to see the gentle and stunning Southern Right Whales. The post Hermanus and the Southern Right Whales appeared first on . ]]> 622 South Africa’s Wildlife Whisperers: Kevin Richardson, Lawrence Anthony & Mike Rutzen south-africas-wildlife-whisperers-kevin-richardson-lawrence-anthony-mike-rudson/ south-africas-wildlife-whisperers-kevin-richardson-lawrence-anthony-mike-rudson/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:32:31 +0000 /?p=1 There is something about the word ‘Africa’ that conjures up images of expansive savannahs, flaming red sunsets and scores of animals roaming free. When imagining Africa, and suspending the realities of its predominantly third-world and semi-industrialised state, one word has remained persistently synonymous with the continent:wild. A walk through the bustling city-bowl of Cape Town […] The post South Africa’s Wildlife Whisperers: Kevin Richardson, Lawrence Anthony & Mike Rutzen appeared first on . ]]> There is something about the word ‘Africa’ that conjures up images of expansive savannahs, flaming red sunsets and scores of animals roaming free. When imagining Africa, and suspending the realities of its predominantly third-world and semi-industrialised state, one word has remained persistently synonymous with the continent:wild. A walk through the bustling city-bowl of Cape Town would certainly contradict this statement, but a short drive outside of any city centre, and deep into the space of the nature reserve will reveal an altogether different story. Find yourself off the grid and away from the tall office-block buildings, the smells of freshly tarred roads and the collective city sounds of revving cars, loud music spilling out of apartment windows and everything else that is decidedly urban – and the wildness of Africa could feel just a little too close for comfort. But when it comes to the wild, it attracts more than tourists and holidaymakers or hunters and poachers, as a curious and captivating figure seems to have emerged: the wildlife whisperer. Kevin Richardson ‘The Lion Whisperer’, Lawrence Anthony ‘The Elephant Whisperer‘ and Mike ‘Sharkman’ Rutzen have become global names for their phenomenal and seemingly crazy efforts with wildlife – all of whom were born and bred on the colourful shores of South Africa! Each of these men have captivated the world in one way or another, and for animal lovers and haters alike, their plights with wildlife creatures have been inspiring; have a look: The Lion Whisperer Who said cats hate water, anyway? Lions, as the apex predator of the savannah, are typically looked at as rather dangerous – understandably so, considering that their jaws can crush bones and an adult’s paw is almost the size of a human head. But imagining Africa without Lions seems almost impossible, since the two are so mutually exclusive. “Lion’s live on less than 20% of their former habitat due to destruction, human-predator conflict, poaching, hunting, and illegal trade” – Kevin Richardson. Richardson has developed unique and awe-inspiring relationships with Africa’s big cats – bonds which are over 16 years in the making. He’s appeared on several local and international news networks, and his philosophy of building loving and caring ties of trust between himself and these predatory cats is beautifully endearing. Looking content & comfortable. His efforts to shine a spotlight on the plight of Lions in both the wild and in captivity has captured plenty of attention around the world. The way he interacts with these animals is astounding; they look like nothing more than oversized kitty-cats when Richardson is around them. This video will have you gasping and gawking in delight: () The Elephant Whisperer Anthony interacting with the elephants he loved. Lawrence Anthony’s remarkable story and his work with African elephants is widely-known across the world. The relationships he developed with Africa’s largest land animal, his legendary conservation efforts that included establishing conservation groups and nature reserves, as well as his intimate approach to rehabilitating traumatized elephants is well-documented in his co-written book, The Elephant Whisperer. A heart-warming, tear-jerking, all round inspiring novel. This man was remarkable; after being called upon by a conservation group to rescue a group of nine, destructive elephants in KwaZulu-Natal, Anthony successfully managed to rescue the herd and save them from being shot. He provided them with a home at Thula-Thula nature reserve, where he eventually earned their trust and became a part of the family. What’s more – after Anthony’s passing in March 2012, two herds laboriously trudged across acres of the Thula-Thula Reserve and loitered on their friend’s compound for two days before retreating back into the wilderness. It’s remarkable, because these gentle giants are well-known for mourning their dead and the herds had, presumably, gone to the Anthony compound to pay their respects. The Sharkman He’s tallied over 800 hours of free-diving with sharks, and discovered that massaging a white shark’s nose causes tonic mobility. Another local wildlife whisperer, Mike Rutzen, is fast approaching legendary status for his interaction with Great White sharks. Footage of his nail-biting free dives have folks labelling him as crazy, while at the same time, alerting us all to the gross misconceptions that have shrouded these apex predators since the pilot screening ofJaws. Rutzen started out as a fisherman catching yellowtail, and recalls white sharks launching themselves on the deck of their fishing boat to get at the freshly caught fish. Close to 20 years later, and Rutzen’s come a long way; his shark cage diving business, White Shark Diving Unlimited, is one of the popular diving operators in Gansbaai and his business has hosted many, many celebrities over the years. “My business gives the great whites a value alive, whereas previously their only value was their fins and jaws.” – Mike Rutzen Rutzen pictured here with actor Brad Pitt. Apart from managing his company and occasionally accompanying divers to Shark Alley, his conservation efforts include participating in several national and international documentaries and films. After watching this awe-inspiring video of Rutzen ‘catching a ride’ from a Great White, it’s easy to see how he’s earned the title of ‘Sharkman’. The post South Africa’s Wildlife Whisperers: Kevin Richardson, Lawrence Anthony & Mike Rutzen appeared first on . ]]> south-africas-wildlife-whisperers-kevin-richardson-lawrence-anthony-mike-rudson/feed/ 1 1 The Hermanus Whale Festival the-hermanus-whale-festival/ Mon, 27 May 2013 21:53:48 +0000 Hermanus is a picturesque seaside town, known for its festive atmosphere, friendly residents, gorgeous scenery and its whales. The famous visitors return to its shores annually to calve and their graceful antics are watched by the hundreds of people who flock to Walker Bay to witness the majestic creatures in action. Whale watching in Hermanus […] The post The Hermanus Whale Festival appeared first on . ]]> Hermanus is a picturesque seaside town, known for its festive atmosphere, friendly residents, gorgeous scenery and its whales. The famous visitors return to its shores annually to calve and their graceful antics are watched by the hundreds of people who flock to Walker Bay to witness the majestic creatures in action. Whale watching in Hermanus is world-renowned – no other place provides the same opportunity to witness the phenomenal animals in their natural environment, cavorting in the bay. The tell-tale sudden explosion of a jet of water, or the appearance of a gigantic tale, is a give-away that there is a friendly whale lurking below the sea’s surface. Hermanus loves its and every year they are celebrated with the immensely popular Hermanus Whale Festival – South Africa’s only Enviro-Arts festival. The whole town gets involved and the carnival atmosphere is infectious, with numerous musical performances, comedy skits, cabarets and exciting stalls to discover. Choose from an overwhelming selection of exquisite arts and crafts and delight in the multiple acts on offer. As soon as the Whale Crier sounds his seaweed horn, everyone knows that the first whale has been spotted and it’s time to start the festivities. Opting for a group tour to Hermanus is a wonderful way to experience the best that the town has to offer, while the informative, knowledgeable guides enhance your experience with their fascinating commentary about the area’s past and its whales. It’s also a fantastic way to meet new people and spend some time with your family and friends. Stroll along the superb, pristine stretches of golden sand and climb up the rippling dunes for outstanding vistas of the sea and its gentle inhabitants. Hermanus is famed for its rugged, wild landscape, with its captivating natural beauty and serenity. The town may have grown and developed a great deal, but it still maintains its integrity and small fishing town feel. It’s a place of immense charm and allure, with much to offer, including its well-known Whale Festival, which takes place annually in September. The post The Hermanus Whale Festival appeared first on . ]]> 99 Cape Point: Where mighty oceans meet cape-point-where-mighty-oceans-meet/ Mon, 27 May 2013 21:52:22 +0000 Cape Point is a place of phenomenal natural beauty and historical importance. Forming an important part of the world renowned Table Mountain National Park, here you can relax and enjoy the tranquillity of the World Heritage Site. Going on a Cape Town tour is a wonderful option, as you will

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