“340B Is a Good Idea Gone Bad”

Defenders of the 340B Drug Discount Program say it is vital to safety net hospitals and the patients they serve. On that, we agree wholeheartedly. The program was originally intended by Congress to provide assistance to those treating uninsured or underinsured patients so that this vulnerable population had access to medical treatment. However, inadequate oversight has distorted the noble intent of 340B, transforming it into a perverse profit generator for many of America’s tax-exempt hospitals, few of which provide any meaningful level of charity care.