WASHINGTON, D.C. — On behalf of our members – community health centers that are leading the nation in innovation and ingenuity in primary and preventive care – Advocates for Community Health (ACH) applauds the bipartisan U.S. Senate 340B Working Group’s efforts on the legislative draft intended to improve the 340B Drug Discount Program. It is ACH’s mission to drive and advocate for innovative policies and legislation in support of our members and the health center program writ large. This includes policies that advance the delivery of health care to underserved populations and we are committed to ensuring that the 340B program is successful not just for ACH members, but for all health centers and the patients they serve.
The 340B Program is a lifeline for community health centers, which, in accordance with regulation, invest every dollar saved back into the communities they serve. Community health centers were the providers that the program was originally designed to benefit; however, today, savings from the 340B program are being steadily eroded due to lack of program clarity, discrimination from insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, and increasing restrictions on the use of contract pharmacies. Any reform of the 340B program must ensure that health centers are able to utilize the 340B program for all patients they serve, no matter their source of coverage, and include the protection of contract pharmacy arrangements.
Since ACH’s inception in 2021, we have fought for timely Congressional action to ensure that the 340B health centers can fully utilize the program to stretch their scarce federal resources and provide vital access to care for their patients.
ACH looks forward to continuing our engagement with the Senate 340B Working Group on commonsense reforms that ensure the continued viability of this critical program.
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About Advocates for Community Health
Advocates for Community Health (ACH) is a membership organization for federally qualified health centers that strives to advance the delivery of health care to underserved populations and to achieve health equity for patients and communities in need. We are committed to working collaboratively to advance well-defined and forward-thinking policies at the national level. By leveraging the wisdom, agility, and innovation of our members, ACH brings bold leadership to drive change in the American healthcare system. advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.