340B Insight Podcast
Episode 121: 340B Support for Long-Acting Injectable Clinics
August 4, 2025
Patients with behavioral health and substance use disorders often struggle with accessing and staying on the daily oral medications they need to keep their disorders controlled. That’s why SSM Health uses some of its 340B savings to run long-acting injectable (LAI) clinics in the St. Louis area to help these patients achieve better health. We speak with SSM Health Vice President of Pharmacy Financial Operations Michelle Schmitt to learn how much of a role 340B plays in that patient care mission. (Transcript)
Show Notes
- LAI clinics offer comprehensive services SSM Health’s three LAI clinics offer injections for patients with conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and alcohol and opioid use disorders that might last as long as three to six months. Clinic visits also give the patients access to a full team of pharmacists, psychiatrists, nurses, therapists, and others to help them navigate treatment and stay healthy.
- 340B funds are key to patient access Because behavioral health is often a subsidized service, 340B savings are crucial to the operations of the clinics. They also enable SSM Health to offer financial assistance to patients living up to 400% of the poverty level so they can afford the treatments they need to stay on the road to recovery.
- Cuts to 340B would be detrimental to patients Schmitt says losing access to 340B pricing could mean a 60-70% price increase in the cost of LAI drugs, which would threaten the viability of the clinics and the financial assistance that many patients rely on to access their treatments. She says these clinics are a great example of how 340B is about much more than just price discounts; it provides resources for health systems to meet unique community health needs and serve patients where they are.
Check out all of our episodes on the 340B Insight podcast website. You also can stay updated on all 340B Health news and information by visiting our homepage. If you have any questions you’d like us to cover in this podcast, email us at podcast@340bhealth.org.
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