WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman announced he has joined the Senate 340B Bipartisan Working Group, a collection of lawmakers committed to sustaining the key program that provides discounts to certain nonprofit health care providers, hospitals and clinics on outpatient drugs, replacing former Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).

“The 340B program is a lifeline for hospitals and clinics across Arkansas, helping vulnerable patients access prescriptions while empowering providers to put savings toward additional services and care in their communities,” said Boozman. “I am proud to join the bipartisan coalition in the Senate leading the effort to protect and strengthen it. We look forward to advancing solutions that support this essential resource and provide confidence and certainty to participants.

“We are pleased to welcome Sen. Boozman to the Senate 340B Bipartisan Working Group, which exists to further the shared goal of strengthening the 340B program to maintain its long-term viability. The 340B program fulfills a critical purpose of keeping costs low for eligible health care providers and the patients they serve. The Working Group has made significant progress throughout the years, and now joined by Sen. Boozman, we look forward to continuing our work together on solutions to support this important program,” said 340B Bipartisan Working Group Members Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Tim Kaine (D-VA).

The Working Group has existed for more than a decade and is comprised of members who support the 340B program and are committed to sustaining it.

In the 118th Congress, the Working Group requested feedback from stakeholders on how to improve the 340B program through bipartisan policy solutions and released a legislative discussion draft and supplemental request for information. The legislative discussion draft reflected the Working Group’s belief that the program provides a critical benefit to eligible health care providers that enables them to stretch federal resources to provide healthcare services for the patients they serve. The draft also acknowledged concerns from stakeholders about ambiguity in the program and how transparency is needed to ensure the program is serving eligible patients as originally intended.

Moving forward, the Working Group will continue its efforts to incorporate the information shared by stakeholders into legislation that provides clarity, transparency and accountability in the 340B program to ensure the program remains strong long into the future.

Background:

The 340B program requires that drug manufacturers who participate in Medicaid and Medicare provide certain non-profit health care providers, hospitals and clinics (covered entities) a discount on outpatient drugs. The 340B program enables covered entities to use these savings to provide more comprehensive services to eligible patients and their communities.