Despite rebukes by two federal circuit courts, an HHS sub-agency continues to overstep its authority when administering a drug-discount program.

Eli Lilly became the second drugmaker this week to sue the U.S. government for rejecting their proposed changes to a program that requires selling discounted drugs to certain medical facilities.

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) has filed a lawsuit over a U.S. health agency's alleged attempts to block its model for offering rebates for drugs supplied under the government's 340B Program, days after its rival Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) filed a similar lawsuit.

The lawsuit is the second by a large drugmaker in recent days challenging how it provides required discounts to certain hospitals.

Eli Lilly said on Thursday it sued the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) over allegedly blocking the company's plan to change the way it offers drug discounts to hospitals.