South Dakota Health Systems Come Together to Protect 340B

​The 340B drug pricing program is critical to ensuring patients with low incomes and those living in rural areas can access the care they need. Enacted by Congress, the program is designed to require deeper discounts when drug companies repeatedly raise prices faster than the inflation rate. The 340B savings enable investments in a health care safety net for communities that are under increasing economic stress. Care provided through 340B savings does not cost taxpayers any money, it is paid for with the money saved through the price discounts from manufacturers. Providers and manufacturers are subject to audits to ensure they are in compliance with 340B program requirements.

There is a lot of pressure on the 340B program from PhRMA-led opposition and proposals which threatens the future of the program and would shift the savings from hospitals to the bottom lines of drug-makers. Last week, pharmacists from Avera, Sanford and Monument Health came together for a meeting and hill visits to share the importance of protecting the 340B program. On April 6, 2023, Dusty Johnson co-sponsored a bipartisan bill (H.R. 2534) called the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023. We also have support from Senator Thune’s office where Sarah Schmidt, health policy director, attended the 340B Health policy workshop to have a conversation with attendees and listen to the concerns of rural, safety-net providers. SDAHO will continue to advocate to #Protect340B.