The 340B Drug Pricing Program, which requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to eligible healthcare providers at significantly reduced prices, is at risk. Only nonprofit healthcare organizations with specific federal designations are eligible to participate in 340B, and must provide drugs only to eligible patients.
To stress the importance of keeping this program intact, and following a July op-ed in Roll Call online by Ascension Health President and Chief Executive Officer Robert J. Henkel, FACHE, “Placing the Health and Well Being of Patients First,” other Ascension Health Ministry CEOs have recently published op-eds stressing the local importance of 340B:
- “Drug pricing program is still needed,” by Jesus Garza in the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman
- “340B Drug Pricing Program strengthens health safety net,” by Michael Schatzlein, MD, in The (Nashville) Tennessean
- “Don’t roll back drug program,” by Jeff Korsmo in The Wichita (Kansas) Eagle
- "Viewpoint: Placing the health and well-being of patients first" by Monica Hilt and Bryan Pearce in the Star Journal
Ascension Health has 45 hospitals participating in 340B, which last year saved the organization $97 million. These savings supported Ascension’s Mission to serve all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, and supported the organization’s provision of $1.5 billion in charity care for persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs in fiscal year 2013.
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