Third Way Statement on Legislation to Improve the 340B Drug Pricing Program
WASHINGTON—Third Way released the following statement from Gabriel Horwitz, Senior Vice President for the Economic Program:
“Patients must be front and center of meaningful reforms to our health care system. That’s why we are pleased to see the introduction of the 340B Affording Care for Communities & Ensuring a Strong Safety-Net (ACCESS) Act, which brings much-needed transparency to the critical 340B Drug Pricing Program.
“As we have written, the 340B Drug Pricing Program is an essential tool for uninsured and low-income patients to access lifesaving medicines. But the program is not delivering lower costs to all of the patients it should be. As a result of weak regulations, hospitals can convert drug discounts into profits or redirect funding toward wealthier communities—which weaken the benefits for vulnerable patients.
“That is why Third Way applauds the introduction of the 340B ACCESS Act by Representative Larry Bucshon (R-IN) and hopes the legislation will gain bipartisan support. This legislation takes critical steps to put vulnerable patients first by increasing transparency requirements on 340B hospitals, ensuring drug discounts are helping low-income and uninsured patients in the form of charity care, and banning aggressive medical debt collection tactics. Bipartisanship is essential for this legislation to move forward, and we urge Democrats to work on similar reforms that put patients first.