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Protect 340B: It’s Vital For Low-Income Patients And Safety Net Healthcare Providers
Thursday, Mar 5, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Nearly half of U.S. states—both red and blue—have passed laws protecting the 340B program in response to drugmakers who, in defiance of federal law, are restricting access to discounted drugs to hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) largely serving low-income residents. The courts have overwhelmingly ruled that state laws can prevent Big Pharma from limiting 340B contract pharmacies. The Illinois Senate unanimously passed 340B legislation last spring. Now it’s up to the Illinois House to vote for House Bill 2371, legislation modeled after other states. 340B restrictions are harming patients and providers, who face:
• Higher operational costs: Midwestern hospitals are paying 31% more on services, 22% more on medications and 19% more on supplies since 2022. 340B providers are nonprofit organizations. They put every penny toward caring for patients, whether it’s investing in new services or hiring more clinicians, and they don’t answer to shareholders like drugmakers do. HB 2371 does NOT require any state appropriation and does NOT ask for any taxpayer funding. What it asks is for House legislators to restore this critical lifeline as Illinois hospitals stand to lose up to $57 billion in Medicaid funding over 10 years—and patients lose Medicaid coverage. Get the 304B bill across the finish line this legislative session: Vote YES on HB 2371. Learn more.
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