{"id":2433703,"date":"2025-05-12T14:20:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T18:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/controversial-changes-to-drug-pricing-program-are-progressing-through-state-legislatures\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T14:23:28","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T18:23:28","slug":"controversial-changes-to-drug-pricing-program-are-progressing-through-state-legislatures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/controversial-changes-to-drug-pricing-program-are-progressing-through-state-legislatures\/","title":{"rendered":"Controversial changes to drug pricing program are progressing through state legislatures"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcontroversial-changes-to-drug-pricing-program-are-progressing-through-state-legislatures%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2433703&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ccp-linked-groups-mount-farm-lobbying-campaign\/\" title=\"CCP-linked groups mount farm lobbying campaign\">article discusses ongoing legislative efforts<\/a> to change the 340B drug pricing program, especially in Republican-led states like Oklahoma, where a bill (HB 2048) passed that aims to enhance protections and accessibility for this program. The 340B program allows select healthcare providers to purchase medications at reduced prices,which critics argue has become a loophole exploited by hospitals to profit significantly,often at the expense of taxpayers and patients. Critics,including conservative figures,suggest that these changes could inadvertently support controversial practices,including the funding of transgender treatments for minors and services for undocumented immigrants.<\/p>\n<p>Several states are considering or have enacted bills to amend or improve the program, with mixed reactions from Republican governors. In contrast, Virginia&#8217;s Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed similar legislation, citing concerns that taxpayer funds could support healthcare for undocumented individuals. The ongoing debate raises questions about the program&#8217;s intended purpose to assist vulnerable populations and the potential misuse by healthcare providers for profit. Further, bipartisan discussions in Congress are exploring reforms to ensure the program operates as originally intended, emphasizing openness and proper oversight to prevent abuse.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Controversial changes to drug pricing program are progressing through state legislatures<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1960536\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A bill bolstering a federal drug discount program that conservative critics have warned is a backdoor effort to subsidize transgender treatments for minors passed in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oklahoma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Oklahoma<\/a> Senate last week, as similar measures are making their way through other Republican-led state legislatures.<\/p>\n<p>Conservative critics who oppose legislative expansions to the 340B drug pricing program have warned that bolstering the program could undermine President Donald Trump&rsquo;s executive orders cutting off taxpayer funding for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/enforcing-the-hyde-amendment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">abortions<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/protecting-children-from-chemical-and-surgical-mutilation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">&ldquo;sex-change&rdquo; procedures<\/a> performed on minors, and benefits for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/02\/ending-taxpayer-subsidization-of-open-borders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">illegal immigrants<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3408310\/scott-bessent-china-fentanyl-response\/\">Scott Bessent optimistic China will boost response to fentanyl trade: &lsquo;Upside surprise&rsquo;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3407983\/watch-trump-press-conference-rfk-jr-prescription-drug-pricing\/\">WATCH LIVE: Trump holds press conference with RFK Jr. on prescription drug pricing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3407971\/ten-people-sickened-us-listeria-outbreak-prepared-foods\/\">At least 10 people sickened in US listeria outbreak linked to prepared foods<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Created by Congress over 30 years ago, the 340B drug pricing program allows certain hospitals and clinics, known as covered entities that serve as &ldquo;safety net&rdquo; providers to low-income and uninsured patients, to obtain prescriptions at <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federally mandated discounted prices<\/a> from pharmaceutical manufacturers.<\/p>\n<p>The resulting revenue can subsequently be reinvested to subsidize other services. A host of&nbsp;federally qualified health centers&nbsp;have advertised these subsidized services, with some clinics telling patients that 340B savings cover the costs of &ldquo;gender-affirming care.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/beltway-confidential\/3343651\/340b-drug-pricing-program-sabotaging-trump-agenda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">THIS SUBSIDY PROGRAM IS SABOTAGING TRUMP&rsquo;S AGENDA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For example, the Community Health Care Association of New York explicitly says health centers put 340B savings toward &ldquo;Subsidizing costs of care for [the] undocumented,&rdquo; according to an <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PhilipWegmann\/status\/1755271664214913387\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">informational document<\/a> obtained by <em>RealClearPolitics<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Planned Parenthood is <a href=\"https:\/\/340bcoalition.org\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">part of the 340B Coalition<\/a>, a consortium of organizations that supports preserving 340B and securing lucrative reimbursement rates. Title X-funded clinics are able to procure prescription contraceptives and devices at a deal through the 340B program, making it possible for them to provide &ldquo;more comprehensive services,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalfamilyplanning.org\/health-care-delivery_340B\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">according to<\/a> the National Family Planning &amp; Reproductive Health Association.<\/p>\n<p>The Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which treats &ldquo;New York&rsquo;s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities &mdash; in all their diversity &mdash; regardless of ability to pay,&rdquo;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/callen-lorde.org\/340b\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">touts online<\/a>&nbsp;that it can &ldquo;integrat[e] hormone therapy within primary care&rdquo; thanks to revenue generated from 340B savings, &ldquo;a significant source of support for unfunded services at Callen-Lorde.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Funding derived from 340B is &ldquo;a vital lifeline for Callen-Lorde,&rdquo; the clinic says. It is used to &ldquo;reinvest&rdquo; in such &ldquo;affirmation&rdquo; services as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/callen-lorde.org\/hott\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Health Outreach to Teens<\/a>, a &ldquo;confidential&rdquo; program designed specifically for LGBT-identifying adolescents as young as 13 years old. HOTT&rsquo;s offerings, including individual counseling on &ldquo;gender identity,&rdquo; are free-of-charge or low-cost. HOTT is accessible at Callen-Lorde&rsquo;s &ldquo;youth-only&rdquo; medical suite as well as a mobile medical unit that travels throughout all five New York City boroughs to meet teenagers on the streets.<\/p>\n<p>According to Chicago-based Howard Brown Health&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/howardbrown.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/340B-Impact-Profile.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">340B impact profile<\/a>, the FQHC&rsquo;s &ldquo;transgender and nonbinary&rdquo; teams provide &ldquo;gender-affirming care,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-doctors-back-child-sex-changes-blast-red-states\/\" title=\"Pentagon Doctors Back Child Sex ...s, Blast Red ...s\">including cross-sex hormones<\/a> and &ldquo;surgical navigation,&rdquo; as part of expanded programming, which otherwise would not be able to operate without funding from 340B savings. Nearly 3% of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/howardbrown.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Howard-Brown-Health-2021-Fact-Sheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Howard Brown Health&rsquo;s patients<\/a>&nbsp;are ages 18 and under.<\/p>\n<p>Trillium Health, an&nbsp;FQHC look-alike&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.trilliumhealth.org\/about-us\/our-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regarded as<\/a>&nbsp;the leading LGBT healthcare provider in Rochester, New York, also&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.trilliumhealth.org\/about-us\/advocacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">depends on 340B<\/a>&nbsp;to provide&nbsp;&ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.trilliumhealth.org\/healthcare\/transgender-care\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transgender care<\/a>&rdquo; at little to no cost. This includes referrals for &ldquo;gender-affirming&rdquo; surgeries, hormonal injections, and a chest &ldquo;binder finder.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Several state legislatures are seeking to expand 340B or have done so in recent weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Utah&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/le.utah.gov\/~2025\/bills\/static\/SB0069.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SB 69<\/a>, which took effect on Wednesday, bans interference with a pharmaceutical entity&rsquo;s acquisition of a 340B-designated drug. Nebraska&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billtrack50.com\/billdetail\/1778393\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LB 168<\/a>, which was <a href=\"https:\/\/nebraskalegislature.gov\/FloorDocs\/109\/PDF\/Journal\/r1day59.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">signed in mid-April<\/a>, adopts the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act, prohibiting drug distributors from denying CEs access to 340B drugs. North Dakota&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billtrack50.com\/billdetail\/1792058\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 1473<\/a>, which was filed with the state secretary in early April, amends state restrictions on 340B, protecting access to discounted drugs and preventing drugmakers from &ldquo;creating barriers to the 340B program&rsquo;s implementation.&rdquo; Kentucky&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billtrack50.com\/billdetail\/1767631\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SB 14<\/a>, which the state Senate has advanced to the state House, establishes a new section of Kentucky law that prohibits &ldquo;discrimination&rdquo; (i.e., discriminatory pricing practices) against 340B CEs and authorizes the state&rsquo;s attorney general to investigate violations of this provision.<\/p>\n<p>The Oklahoma Senate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/cf\/2025-26%20SUPPORT%20DOCUMENTS\/votes\/Senate\/HB2048_VOTES.HTM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">voted<\/a> 40-5 on Thursday in favor of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb2048&amp;Session=2500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 2048<\/a>, which would create the 340B Nondiscrimination Act. The act would require that a covered entity be reimbursed by insurance companies for 340B drugs at a discounted rate. Under the act, a manufacturer or distributor &ldquo;must not deny, restrict, or otherwise interfere with the acquisition or delivery of 340B drugs,&rdquo; according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/cf_pdf\/2025-26%20SUPPORT%20DOCUMENTS\/BILLSUM\/House\/HB2048%20INT%20BILLSUM.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">bill&rsquo;s summary<\/a>. Civil fines of up to $10,000 may be imposed for each violation of the act&rsquo;s provisions.<\/p>\n<p>When asked whether Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) would sign HB 2048, the governor&rsquo;s spokeswoman, Abegail Cave, noted that the bill has not reached his desk yet.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The governor has spoken to stakeholders on both sides of this issue as well as Oklahomans across the state who would be impacted,&rdquo; Cave told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;Upon reviewing the bill, he will make a final determination.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As of Thursday, the measure was returned to the Oklahoma House for final proof before being presented to the governor.<\/p>\n<p>In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin&nbsp;(R-VA) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.governor.virginia.gov\/media\/governorvirginiagov\/governor-of-virginia\/pdf\/Veto-Statements.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vetoed<\/a>&nbsp;340B-related legislation last year after the General Assembly rejected his recommended changes to <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?241+sum+SB119\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SB 119<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He is deeply concerned about the federal 340B program and how it could be exploited to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservative-group-campaigns-against-immigration-program-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Conservative group campaigns against immigration ... - Washington Examiner\">provide taxpayer-subsidized healthcare<\/a> to illegal immigrants,&rdquo; a Youngkin spokesman&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/rebeccadowns\/2024\/03\/05\/poll-shows-that-gop-voters-in-virginia-strongly-oppose-expanding-subsidized-health-care-for-illegals-n2636117\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a>&nbsp;<em>Townhall<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Youngkin&rsquo;s proposals would have allowed for input from various stakeholders to implement practices that enhance program oversight, such as assessing patient insurance usage, compiling a list of contract pharmacies, analyzing 340B savings, and examining whether benefits actually reach the intended citizens.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/2913135\/democrats-wanted-give-subsidized-healthcare-illegal-immigrants-glenn-youngkin-said-no\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">DEMOCRATS WANTED TO GIVE SUBSIDIZED HEALTHCARE TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. GLENN YOUNGKIN SAID NO<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;While I agree with the general purpose of the legislation, regrettably, the General Assembly did<br \/>not approve my amendments,&rdquo; Youngkin said in a<a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?241+amd+SB119AG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> statement<\/a> on the veto. &ldquo;As Congress deliberates the federal 340B Program, stakeholder input, recent court rulings, and program developments must be considered to provide clarity, transparency, and accountability.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Republican opponents of the program have urged Stitt to follow Youngkin&rsquo;s lead, saying Stitt should take issue with 340B legislation just as Youngkin did in Virginia.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Across the country, conservative leaders are taking a stand against 340B, which is a Trojan horse for the Left&rsquo;s agenda,&rdquo; a GOP strategist told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a no-brainer for Gov. Stitt to join them. It would be shocking if a top conservative like Gov. Stitt signed legislation to expand 340B &mdash;&nbsp;he&rsquo;d practically be thumbing his nose at President Trump&rsquo;s agenda to protect our children and stop wasteful government abuse.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump zeroed in on the drug pricing program with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/04\/lowering-drug-prices-by-once-again-putting-americans-first\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">an executive order<\/a> titled &ldquo;Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Under Trump&rsquo;s directive, the Health and Human Services secretary must conduct a survey to determine &ldquo;the hospital acquisition cost for covered outpatient drugs at hospital outpatient departments.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Once the study is completed, HHS &ldquo;shall consider and propose any appropriate adjustments that would align the Medicare payment with the cost of acquisition.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>340B&rsquo;s stated purpose is to ensure that vulnerable communities, especially in rural areas, have affordable access to healthcare. However, 340B watchdogs believe these discounts are too steep, with scant oversight guardrails in place, letting hospitals reap much of the benefit. Under the guise of helping the poor, the hospitals allegedly abuse the system by buying deeply discounted drugs through 340B but bill insurers at full price and pocket the difference. Meanwhile, as these entities exploit loopholes to maximize profits, taxpayers and patients foot the bill through hidden costs, according to critics.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/3185908\/charity-healthcare-dollars-arent-making-it-to-patients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">CHARITY HEALTHCARE DOLLARS AREN&rsquo;T MAKING IT TO THE PATIENTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/restoring-america\/faith-freedom-self-reliance\/3400734\/nonprofit-hospitals-340b-drug-pricing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">an op-ed<\/a> for the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, Trump&rsquo;s former director of the Domestic Policy Council said nonprofit hospitals are using 340B, &ldquo;one of the most wasteful and abused programs the government has to offer,&rdquo; as a &ldquo;get rich quick&rdquo; scheme. What once was a well-intentioned initiative has &ldquo;morphed into an unchecked profiteering scheme,&rdquo; ex-Trump aide Joe Grogan said.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/09\/24\/health\/bon-secours-mercy-health-profit-poor-neighborhood.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">New York Times<\/a><\/em>&nbsp;uncovered how a hospital chain, Bon Secours Mercy Health, purchased drugs at the government programming rate and then sold them at an outrageous markup. The vast majority of one Bon Secours hospital&rsquo;s profits reportedly came from the 340B program. The hospital, Richmond Community, had the highest profit margins of any hospital in Virginia, making $100 million in annual revenue, according to&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/vhi.org\/Bon%20Secours%20Richmond%20Community%20Hospital.html?tab=&amp;?=h9880\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">financial data<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>New York Times<\/em> recently&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/01\/15\/us\/340b-apexus-drugs-middleman.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/01\/15\/us\/340b-apexus-drugs-middleman.html\">ed<\/a>&nbsp;on a case of a breast cancer patient, 65-year-old Virginia King,&nbsp;who received care from a cancer center participating in the 340B program. Even though the patient&rsquo;s prescribed treatment was listed at a market price of about $2,700, the hospital that owned the cancer center billed King&rsquo;s insurance company almost 10 times that amount, approximately $22,700. The patient&rsquo;s insurer paid $10,000, but the hospital demanded an additional $2,500-plus from King, more than half her monthly take-home salary, she said.<\/p>\n<p>According to a 2018 Government Accountability Office <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/assets\/gao-18-480.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">report<\/a>, the number of pharmacies that contract with 340B entities increased more than fifteenfold since guidance in 2010 lifted the restriction on the number of pharmacies with which a covered entity could contract. Initially, contract pharmacies were typically located in the same areas as the covered entity. GAO reported that contract pharmacies are now located between 0 and 5,000 miles away.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is&nbsp;working&nbsp;at the federal level to reform 340B. In March, while jointly announcing the assembly of a 340B bipartisan working group, which Mullin is a member of, the Oklahoma senator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moran.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/2025\/3\/sens-moran-baldwin-capito-kaine-mullin-hickenlooper-announce-senate-340b-bipartisan-working-group\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said<\/a>,&nbsp;&ldquo;Together, we&rsquo;re working to restore integrity and intent to the 340B program.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/1348457\/340b-drug-program-was-created-to-help-patients-not-boost-hospital-profits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">340B DRUG PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO HELP PATIENTS, NOT BOOST HOSPITAL PROFITS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Senate working groups previously sought feedback from stakeholders on ways to improve the 340B program through bipartisan policy solutions and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moran.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/news-releases?ID=07DB3B5D-EBEF-4306-8414-F4396DA5CF12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">drafted legislative discussions<\/a>&nbsp;that included proposed updates. At the time, lawmakers cited community concerns, such as a lack of transparent reporting among covered entities to ensure that the 340B program was being administered as originally intended.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Due to a lack of statutory clarity, there has been ambiguity over the use of contract pharmacy arrangements, which has led to litigation,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thune.senate.gov\/public\/_cache\/files\/5e99f492-7a5e-428d-a25e-f4722cfd4b38\/26132C0D072A3EF9EB32FB58CFEF5819.340b-discussion-draft-explanatory-document-and-subsequent-rfi.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">lawmakers said<\/a> during draft discussion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1960536\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1960536\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Controversial drug pricing changes advance in state legislatures<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2433704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/df2aa93026701f44969636a6e163842c-1024x591.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50410,55087,37167,4762,32399],"class_list":["post-2433703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-controversy-2","tag-drug-pricing","tag-healthcare-policy","tag-legislation","tag-state-legislatures"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/df2aa93026701f44969636a6e163842c-1024x591.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2433703"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2433707,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433703\/revisions\/2433707"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2433704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2433703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2433703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2433703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}