STATEMENT ON PHRMA AND NACHC PROPOSAL TO REDUCE SAFETY-NET HOSPITAL PARTICIPATION IN 340B
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Earlier today, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) announced they are pursuing legislative changes to 340B. Their changes would reduce drug manufacturers’ contributions to the health care safety net by reducing the number of hospitals in 340B, preventing many specialty drugs from being subject to 340B discounts, and otherwise limiting hospitals’ ability to rely on 340B to support the provision of services to their underserved patients and communities.
The following statement is attributed to 340B Health President and CEO Maureen Testoni:
“This newest development is the latest in a long series of efforts by the pharmaceutical industry to back away from its obligations to health care safety-net hospitals and their patients by advocating for Congress to reduce 340B eligibility. The proposal that was publicly released lacks crucial details. But if the latest effort follows the same pattern of past pharma advocacy on 340B, it would involve massive cutbacks in access to discounts for safety-net hospitals that provide the vast majority of hospital care received by Medicaid patients as well as most of the uncompensated and unreimbursed care in the U.S. This proposal comes after 340B hospitals, community health centers, other 340B providers, and their patients have suffered major reductions in 340B from restrictions imposed by major drug manufacturers at community and specialty pharmacies.”
“We will continue to work with members of Congress not only to address those restrictions but also to ensure lawmakers understand how major additional cuts to 340B eligibility would devastate the health care safety net and the patients in need who rely on it. 340B is a vital and proven way to support the safety net at no cost to American taxpayers.”
Contact: David Glendinning at david.glendinning@340bhealth.org or 202-536-2289.