Protecting the 340B Program

As a leader in rural healthcare, I can attest firsthand to the indispensable role the 340B Drug Pricing Program plays in maintaining healthcare access for our most vulnerable communities. For over 30 years, this program has served as a lifeline for rural and safety-net hospitals across America, allowing us to stretch limited resources and continue serving patients regardless of their ability to pay.

The 340B program represents a rare policy success: it costs taxpayers nothing while delivering tremendous value to communities in need. By requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide discounts to qualifying hospitals in exchange for Medicaid and Medicare participation, the program helps offset the rising costs of medications that threaten to overwhelm our healthcare systems.

Rural hospitals operate on razor-thin margins. They serve communities with higher percentages of elderly, low-income, and uninsured patients, while facing all the challenges of attracting healthcare professionals to non-urban settings. The harsh reality is that without programs like 340B, many rural hospitals cannot survive.