340B Health Statement on MedPAC Recommendation to Congress Regarding 340B Drug Discount Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2016
Contact: Randy Barrett
(202) 536-2285
randy.barrett@340bhealth.org
We are concerned about MedPAC’s recommendation to Congress on the 340B program approved by the panel this morning. MedPAC’s proposal would fundamentally change the 340B program and there has not been enough analysis about how hospitals would be affected. 340B hospitals provide significantly more uncompensated care than non-340B hospitals. The proposal would harm hospitals that provide high levels of care to Medicaid patients even though Congress set the 340B eligibility criteria to explicitly include high-volume Medicaid hospitals. This is not the time to make fundamental changes to the 340B program, especially as 340B hospitals struggle to meet the needs of their low-income and underserved populations in an era of rapidly increasing drug costs.
###
340B Health is an association of more than 1,000 hospitals. We are the leading advocate and resource for those providers who serve their communities through participation in the 340B drug pricing program. For more information about us and the 340B program, visit www.340bhealth.org.