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Illinois hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers are united behind 340B. This was clear at a Feb. 1 rally in Chicago that brought together nearly 1,000 Illinois patients, healthcare providers, community leaders and lawmakers to celebrate this vital federal program.

Why is the 340B Drug Pricing Program so important? Because it helps health centers and hospitals provide affordable medications and essential services to vulnerable patients, improving individual health, the health of communities, and our state’s overall healthcare system.

340B does this by allowing healthcare providers serving large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients to invest drug cost savings into chronic disease management, behavioral health, and more. Yet drugmakers are unilaterally imposing restrictions that serve to boost their bottom lines while low-income Illinoisans lose healthcare access.

The Illinois Health and Hospital Association, Illinois Primary Health Care Association, and Association of Safety Net Community Hospitals are fighting for 340B. We agree with the lead House sponsor of HB 2371, State Rep. Anna Moeller, who said at the rally that drugmaker “restrictions hurt the very people this program was designed to help.”

“During a time when the federal government is cutting funding for healthcare for families across the state, we should be doing everything we can to bring vital resources to support patients and their healthcare providers—resources like 340B that cost nothing to taxpayers or the state of Illinois,” Rep. Moeller said.

Stand with patients, hospitals and FQHCs for 340B. Learn more.