Aventi vs Macro Helix: an independent alternative to McKesson's 340B TPA
Macro Helix (sometimes written Macrohelix) is McKesson's 340B program software and services business, best known for its 340B Architect platform. McKesson says it serves over 1,000 covered entity clients in 48 states and that about 40% of 340B hospitals in the U.S. partner with Macro Helix.[1] If you run your 340B program on Macro Helix, or are weighing it against other TPAs, this page covers what matters for that decision: what it means to use a TPA owned by your drug wholesaler's parent company, what Macro Helix offers, what it has said publicly about the 2027 340B rebate model, and what switching involves. If you would rather not switch at all, we also explain how to keep Macro Helix and use Aventi for rebate claims.
Aventi Health is an independent, founder-owned 340B TPA serving 300 covered entities, 24 of them hospitals.
Last updated: . Every statement about Macro Helix links to a public source.
Aventi vs Macro Helix, side by side
Macro Helix details come from the Macro Helix and McKesson websites, checked November 3, 2026. Where Macro Helix has not published something, we say so.
| Aventi Health | Macro Helix (McKesson) | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Independent and founder-owned: no wholesaler, PBM or pharmacy chain parent | McKesson's 340B software and services business; launched in 2009 and acquired by McKesson in 2012. Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.[1][3] |
| Scale | 300 covered entities, 24 of them hospitals | McKesson says over 1,000 covered entity clients in 48 states, and about 40% of U.S. 340B hospitals[1] |
| Core 340B services | Contract pharmacy and split billing on one platform, with a 10,000+ pharmacy network | 340B Architect: split billing and contract pharmacy administration, with referral capture (340B RxCorrelate) and HRSA audit support[4][5] |
| Contract pharmacy side | Real-time claim capture and purchase splitting, so no end-of-month true-ups | 340B Gateway for retail pharmacy chains. Macro Helix says contract pharmacies must use a McKesson pharmacy management system to use Macro Helix solutions.[6][7][9] |
| Wholesaler ties | No wholesaler parent | Says it works with covered entities that use any of the national pharmaceutical distributors; its 340B Impact analytics are for McKesson wholesale customers[3][5] |
| Manufacturer-side product | Works for covered entities only | 340B Validate gives manufacturers validation of 340B prescriptions that generate a rebate request, without revealing the covered entity's identity or data[10] |
| 2027 rebate model | Beacon-ready for pharmacy and medical rebate submissions; already submits in-house pharmacy medical claims through Beacon | Publishes a rebate pilot overview and says it is preparing to support customers; public pages do not describe its Beacon submission workflow[11][13] |
| Rebate module pricing | Included for Aventi TPA clients. Keeping another TPA? Contact us for pricing. | Not published[11] |
| TPA pricing model | Contingency-based, no true-ups | Not published; says it charges no implementation fees[5][7] |
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Spot an error? Email hello@aventihealth.com and we will correct it.
What it means that Macro Helix is part of McKesson
Macro Helix launched in 2009 and was acquired by McKesson in 2012. McKesson calls it its 340B program software and services business, and Macro Helix describes itself as a McKesson company.[1][3] Macro Helix also says that as part of McKesson it can help you explore solutions across McKesson's other lines of business.[3]
McKesson's ownership shows up in the product in a few places. Macro Helix's 340B Impact analytics are offered to McKesson wholesale customers, and Macro Helix says a contract pharmacy must be a McKesson pharmacy management system user to use Macro Helix solutions.[5][6][7] At the same time, Macro Helix says it works with covered entities that use any of the national pharmaceutical distributors.[3]
Ownership alone does not make a TPA better or worse, and many covered entities run strong programs on Macro Helix. But your TPA sees every eligible claim and purchase in your program, so it is reasonable to ask how a TPA owned by a drug wholesaler keeps your interests separate from its parent's. These are the questions we would ask:
- Which parts of the product depend on McKesson? Ask which features, reports or analytics need you to be a McKesson wholesale customer, and what changes if you move wholesalers.
- Your contract pharmacies: if some of them do not run McKesson pharmacy software, how will they be onboarded and supported?
- Who inside McKesson can see our claims, purchasing and program data, and for what purposes? Ask for the answer in the contract.
- If we leave, what data do we get back (claims, accumulators, referral matches, catalogs), in what format, and how fast?
Aventi has no outside owner. We are an independent, founder-owned 340B TPA, and the only people we answer to are our covered entity clients.
A TPA that also sells to manufacturers
Macro Helix offers 340B Validate, which it says gives manufacturers validation of 340B prescriptions that generate a rebate request, without revealing the identity or data of the covered entity. Macro Helix calls it a win-win for covered entities and manufacturers. For 340B Architect customers, it also describes price-based automatic 340B exclusion lists when contract pricing may have been lost, and logic for manufacturers' 45-day lookback requirements.[10]
Under the 2027 rebate pilot, manufacturers check covered entity claims before paying rebates, and they must pay or deny within 10 calendar days of a complete submission.[12] If your TPA also offers products to manufacturers, ask how those two lines of business are kept apart, what data the manufacturer-facing product uses, and who you call when a rebate is denied.
Aventi works only for covered entities. Rebate claims are qualified, submitted to Beacon and reconciled in the same system that runs your eligibility, split billing and contract pharmacy claims. Read more about handling 340B rebate denials and rebate reconciliation.
What Macro Helix offers, in its own words
Knowing which Macro Helix modules you use tells you what a switch would touch.
340B Architect
Macro Helix's main platform for covered entities: split billing and contract pharmacy administration on one platform, automated NDC/CDM verification, perpetual inventory replenishment, 340B Written Location for e-prescriptions and standard and custom reports.[4][5]
Central Split and Order Optimizer
340B Central Split centralizes and splits orders across 340B and non-340B purchasing accounts for central inventory sites and owned outpatient pharmacies. 340B Order Optimizer splits orders by price and available accumulations and is only available to covered entity-owned pharmacies.[5][8]
Referral capture
340B RxCorrelate, a module of 340B Architect, identifies prescriptions that may have resulted from a referral to an outside provider.[5]
340B Gateway for retail chains
Cloud-based software that helps retail pharmacy chains run their contract pharmacy agreements, consolidating multiple 340B processors into one while covered entities keep their processor of choice.[5][9]
Beyond 340B
Community Prescription Assistance programs that pass 340B savings to patients, a Patient Assistance Program service, and spend analytics, revenue recovery and utilization analytics.[3][4]
Rebate model work
Macro Helix publishes a 340B Rebate Model Pilot overview with key dates and FAQs, says it is preparing to support customers, and points current customers to its Helix Helper portal for rebate pilot resources.[11]
Where Aventi is different from Macro Helix
Independent ownership
No wholesaler, PBM or pharmacy chain behind us, so no feature depends on which wholesaler you buy from or which pharmacy software your contract pharmacies run.
Contingency pricing, no true-ups
Aventi's contract pharmacy and split billing services are priced on contingency. Real-time claim capture and purchase splitting mean no end-of-month true-ups.
Rebates in the same system of record
Rebate claims are qualified, submitted to Beacon and reconciled in the same system that handles your eligibility, split billing and contract pharmacy claims. The rebate module is included for Aventi TPA clients.
Specialty pharmacy built in
Integrations and a gateway with BioPlus, Accredo, Optum and many other specialty pharmacies bring high-cost specialty claims into the same workflow.
Read more about Aventi for covered entities and specialty pharmacy rebates.
Keep Macro Helix, use Aventi for 340B rebates
HRSA's 340B Rebate Model Pilot starts January 1, 2027. Ten manufacturers have approved plans covering 21 drugs, all of them using the Beacon platform, and covered entities must submit claims data within 45 calendar days of dispense to receive rebates.[12]
Macro Helix says it is preparing to support its customers for the pilot.[11] Some covered entities still want a separate designated third party for rebate claims while keeping Macro Helix as their TPA, for example:
- You want a rebate submission and reconciliation workflow you can see working before January 1, 2027.
- You use Macro Helix at some sites and another TPA at others, and want one rebate submission and reconciliation flow.
- You need in-house pharmacy medical claims submitted to Beacon, plus 340B ESP and Truzo claims data submissions, in one place.
You don't have to switch TPAs.
Aventi can be your designated third party for 2027 rebate claims while Macro Helix stays your TPA. Contact us for pricing. If you later move your TPA services to Aventi, the rebate module is included for Aventi TPA clients.
Switching from Macro Helix to Aventi: what to plan for
Step 1: Time the cutover around rebates
The pilot starts January 1, 2027 and claims are due within 45 calendar days of dispense. Pick a transition date that does not leave rebate claims stranded between two systems.[12]
Step 2: Update your Beacon designation
If Macro Helix is set up as your third party on Beacon, change that designation when you switch so rebate claims are not missed or submitted twice.
Step 5: Tell your contract pharmacies
Contract pharmacies need the change date and the new replenishment and invoicing flow, including retail chains that work with Macro Helix through 340B Gateway.[9]
Aventi runs onboarding with you and can submit rebate claims while you are still on Macro Helix, so rebate claims keep flowing during the transition. See the demo to walk through it.
Aventi vs Macro Helix FAQ
Sources
- McKesson, "How Macro Helix Helps Hospitals and Patients with 340B" (Our Stories) — https://www.mckesson.com/stories-insights/protecting-hospitals-and-patients-with-340b/
- McKesson, "Macro Helix: 340B Program Software & Services" — https://www.mckesson.com/pharmacy-technology/business-units/macro-helix/
- Macro Helix, About Macro Helix — https://www.macrohelix.com/company
- Macro Helix, 340B Architect — https://www.macrohelix.com/solutions/340b-admin
- Macro Helix, 340B Covered Entities — https://www.macrohelix.com/who-we-serve/340b-covered-entities
- Macro Helix, 340B Contract Pharmacies — https://www.macrohelix.com/who-we-serve/340b-contract-pharmacies
- Macro Helix, Frequently Asked Questions — https://www.macrohelix.com/faqs
- Macro Helix, 340B Central Split — https://www.macrohelix.com/solutions/340b-admin/340b-central-split
- Macro Helix, 340B Gateway — https://www.macrohelix.com/solutions/340b-admin/340b-gateway
- Macro Helix, 340B Validate — https://www.macrohelix.com/solutions/340b-admin/contract-pharmacy-admin/340b-validate
- Macro Helix, 340B Rebate Pilot Program — https://www.macrohelix.com/rebate
- HRSA, 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program — https://www.hrsa.gov/opa/340b-model-pilot-program
- Aventi Health, 340B Rebate Model — https://aventihealth.com/340b-rebate-model
Accessed November 3, 2026.
Compare Aventi with Macro Helix on your own program
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