Jefferson City News Tribune: Lawmakers must demand transparency in 340B prescription program

By Connie Farrow, Patients Come First Missouri Executive Director

It's time for lawmakers to finally fix the 340B drug prescription program so it truly benefits our state's most vulnerable patients who can least afford health care.

Patients who are eligible for this federal program already face significant barriers to care, including being able to afford treatments, residing in rural communities with fewer care facilities and various adverse health outcomes.

Missouri has the opportunity to bring accountability to the 340B program by passing state SB 1213. Among other things, the proposed bill requires clear reporting on how the program's savings are generated and spent.

These changes are urgent. Without greater transparency and oversight, bad actors can exploit the program -- overcharging patients, pocketing the difference, or diverting profits into unrelated programs. A recent analysis of Minnesota's hospitals showed large hospital systems had generated more than $1 billion while patients' out-of-pocket costs skyrocketed.

Read the full LTE in the Jefferson City News Tribune here.